Change in the Zurich Culture Department

Niklaus Riegg was born in 1980 and studied journalism, ethnomusicology and philosophy at the University of Zurich. He has been the artistic director of Blue Balls Music in Zurich since 2013. Among other things, he is responsible for the program of the Blue Balls Festival in Lucerne. He previously worked as a music journalist for the newspaper "20 Minuten" from 2006 to 2012, most recently as head of the entertainment section.

Thanks to his work as a jury member for various national music competitions, Riegg has an extensive network in the music sector, the city writes in its press release on the change. He knows the international music scene just as well as the conditions and challenges facing Zurich's musicians.

Riegg will take up an 80% position in the Zurich Culture Department on May 1, 2016. The previous head of the jazz/rock/pop department, Susanne Spreiter, is leaving the culture department at her own request after seven years.