A label or agency presents me with a contract for a long-term collaboration for the first time - how do I decide? Do I sign or do I take a path towards self-promotion? And how does Popförderung help me with this? Together with two artists who have already faced these questions themselves, festival director Elke Kuhlen, a long-standing jury member of the Initiative Musik's artist promotion programme, and Robert Schulz, head of the promotion programme, shed light on this important point in a career.