Cultural resources

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Cultural means

According to TONO's statutes §58, a total of up to 8 percent of TONO's income is set aside each year for Cultural means. These contributions are used to finance TONO's scholarship schemes and to promote national music cultural purposes through TONO's three group associations, NOPA, Norwegian Composers' Association og The music publishers.

The group associations are member organizations that work to improve the framework conditions for composers and lyricists in Norway, including through political influence. The associations also work with improving competence through courses and workshops, and have many support and scholarship schemes. You can read more about this below.

In 2025, the cultural contributions amounted to NOK 59,954,283. The contributions, which were allocated over TONO's profit for 2023, amounted to 7,05 percent of the distribution sum in 2023, and 6,01 percent of TONO's total income in 2023.

TONOs transparency reports includes an annual interim report on the use of cultural resources.

The cultural funds are distributed as follows:

1/3 for scholarships, of which 7/8 are distributed through The TONO scholarship og Greases Talents, and 1/8 through the Music Publishers' Scholarship Scheme.

2/3 is managed by NOPA, the Norwegian Composers' Association and the Music Publishers, and who will use them for the best benefit of you as a composer, lyricist or music publisher.

TONO and group associations' searchable schemes

Many of the schemes managed by the group associations are open to all TONO members. Below you will find a comprehensive overview of these. Some schemes are reserved for the associations' own members. You can find an overview of these on the associations' websites, and you will also find information there on how to become a member. All TONO members should, and will benefit from, familiarizing themselves with the work of the group associations.

Scholarship distribution

Schemes under TONO

• The TONO scholarship

The TONO scholarship is financed by cultural contributions, and is awarded annually to TONO members based on applications. In 2026, TONO awarded NOK 14,910,000 divided into 414 TONO scholarships.

• Young Talents Scholarship

TONO awards scholarships to young TONO members to encourage and inspire young composers and lyricists in all genres to write new music. In 2026, TONO awarded 2,380,000 kroner divided into 374 Young Talent scholarships.

Read about TONO's scholarships here.

Schemes under NOPA

(Norwegian Association of Composers and Lyricists)

• NOPA's project grant

NOPA provides annual grants for initiatives of a music policy nature that benefit popular music and Norwegian composers. In this scheme, grants can be applied for, for example, songwriting workshops, masterclasses, lectures, courses, seminars, arranging sheet music, dissemination of music knowledge through podcasts or books. The activity applied for must directly benefit composers as a group and popular music. The project must promote popular music and be of general interest, and the applicant must be a professional composer, arranger or actor in the cultural field.

Applications are processed by NOPA's board, which can also initiate projects and initiatives. There are two annual application deadlines: March 15 and October 15. The scheme is open to all TONO members. Read more about the scheme here

• NOPA's scholarship for young talents

NOPA's scholarship for young talents is given to young creators who will work on their own music. Each grant is for kr 20.000. There are no requirements as to what the money should be used for as long as it can be connected to musical work. The applicant must be under 24 years of age and a member of TONO. The application deadline is November 1. Read more about the scheme here.

• NOPA's EEA projects

NOPA is a partner in several projects in Europe, to provide creators with opportunities for income, knowledge building and international experience. In 2022 and 2023 we have projects in the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia and Romania. Read more about the projects here.

Application deadlines are announced on NOPA's website.

• Work accommodation in Berlin

Cantus's work apartment in Berlin (one of three work apartments managed by NOPA) can be used by all TONO members in the field of popular music. All guests pay a deductible of kr 1,500 per person per week, regardless of whether you are a member of NOPA or not. Read more about the work accommodation, and apply for accommodation at NOPA's website.

Schemes under NKF

(Norwegian Composers' Association)

• Support for recording and publishing

The purpose of the scheme is to support the recording and release of new Norwegian art music. Registered record labels, organizations, ensembles and composers can apply for grants for the recording and release of music. The scheme has two application deadlines per year: 1 March and 1 October. The scheme is partly financed by the cultural funds, and is open to everyone. You can find more information about the application criteria for the scheme on the Norwegian Composers' Association's website.

• Work accommodation

The Norwegian Composers' Association normally has a working apartment that will initially be available for use by all TONO members. The apartment in Paris has been sold, and work is underway to acquire a new one. The Norwegian Composers' Association has inherited the house of the artist couple Grete Lis and Antonio Bibalo at Gon in Larvik. Here, one can apply for a working stay for shorter periods, initially based on weekly stays, at a reasonable price. Read more about the scheme at Norwegian Composers' Association's website.

• Support for visibility

The purpose of the scheme is to increase the visibility of Norwegian composers and their music through

current information channels, such as digital platforms, social media and your own website
updated visual presentations, such as press photos or video presentations
updated textual presentations, such as composer biographies and information about the artistry and works, in relevant languages
new creative initiatives that contribute to increased visibility of Norwegian composers

The scheme can be applied for by individual composers – either alone, or together with several composer colleagues – or by the person(s) carrying out the assignment. If you are applying on behalf of someone other than yourself as a composer, you must confirm that the application has been submitted in consultation with the person(s) concerned. Application deadlines 1 March, 15 May, 1 September and 15 December. Read more about the scheme here.

• Support for editing works

The scheme primarily provides support for rewriting works that are rarely performed due to the composition. The scheme primarily provides support for rewriting own works for new ensembles. The work should be largely the same, but arranged/instrumented, for example from orchestra to sinfonietta or vice versa, from janissary corps to brass band or from one chamber group to another. Application deadlines: March 1, May 15, September 1 and December 15. Read more about the scheme here.

• Seed treatment agents

Seed funds are intended to give composers the opportunity to test out an idea, a pilot project or a preliminary study to determine whether to take the idea further, and how. Examples of measures may include:

Artistic projects in which the composer explores new terrain in his artistry or immerses himself in a specific area.
Travel activities associated with the project.
Workshop fees for composers and/or performers associated with the project.

Application deadlines March 1, May 15, September 1 and December 15. Read more about the scheme here.

• Support for making Norwegian repertoire available

In order for Norwegian music to be used to a greater extent, it must also be accessible, and the industry, in this case the publishing side, needs to be strengthened. The Norwegian Composers' Association wants with the scheme

to strengthen the apparatus surrounding the composer and the work to increase the use of Norwegian music
to support initiatives that lead to broad availability and dissemination of works by living Norwegian composers
that it should be able to provide financial support for publications that are not covered by the schemes offered by NB noter, and that cannot be financed exclusively through commercial publishing activities
that it will become easier to use music that is not presented through traditional notation methods
that it will be easier to have music performed even when the composer is not present

The scheme "Support for making Norwegian repertoire available" receives operating support from the Arts Council of Norway.

Application deadlines: February 1 and September 1. Read more about the scheme here.

Schemes under the Music Publishers Association

The music publishers' grant schemes are intended to help Norwegian music publishers and their authors in all genres and music publishing segments strengthen their activities nationally and internationally. The purpose of the grant schemes is to increase demand, market value and the network of Norwegian music publishers and their authors. All Norwegian music publishers that are members of TONO can apply.

⅓ of TONO's cultural funds are paid out as grants to Musikkforlaggerne each year. Of this share, Musikkforlaggerne distributes ⅛ to Norwegian music publishers, while the remaining ⅞ is paid out directly from TONO and goes to authors.

Application deadlines are March 15 and September 15 each year.

Project grants

Project grants are given to many different types of music publishing projects, such as travel, sheet music publications, projects related to export, songwriter camps, workshops, creation of new works and lyrics, and marketing (of works, authors or music publishers).

The Norwegian Composers' Fund

The Norwegian Composers' Fund is not financed by TONO's cultural funds, but is mentioned here as this is also an application-based scheme where the funds come from 2 percent of TONO's income.

The Norwegian Composers' Fund was established under the authority of "Act of 9 April 1965, No. 1, on fees to the Norwegian Composers' Fund"The law states that companies that “… carries out activities in Norway as an intermediary for authors in collecting remuneration from authors for the fixation of sound, public performance or communication to the public of musical works» are obliged to pay a fee to this fund. The Ministry of Culture determines the amount of the fee, which is two percent of TONO's gross income per year. The Norwegian Composers' Fund shall stimulate the promotion of creative musical art, regardless of genre. The fund's funds shall primarily be used to support the commissioning of new musical works from composers who primarily live and work in Norway, and who have publicly demonstrated their professional activity as a composer. Read more about the fund, and how you can apply, at the fund's website.

Advice, service and member contact

In addition to the searchable schemes, NOPA, the Norwegian Composers' Association and the Music Publishers have advice among their key tasks. All TONO members can contact the organisations by telephone or via digital channels, but they are also present at many different events in Norwegian music life where advice can be obtained, for example at Kontordagen and some other conferences and festivals. The associations also regularly hold seminars and webinars that are open to everyone, and they also have physical professional meeting places. It is also possible to register as an associated NOPA member for those who do not yet qualify for full membership, and you can subscribe to the NOPA newsletter.

We would also like to remind you that TONO's member service is available for all types of inquiries from members regarding membership in TONO and other related topics. TONO's member service also holds regular member seminars for various groups of TONO members, such as the Contemporary Forum, the AV Forum, the Publisher Forum, the Pop Forum, etc. Webinars are also held for new members, among others. TONO also normally holds dozens of lectures at educational institutions, conferences, songwriting camps, and so on.

Contact Info

Cultural means

The cultural funds are distributed as follows:

TONO and group associations' searchable schemes

Schemes under TONO

Schemes under NOPA

Schemes under NKF

Schemes under the Music Publishers Association

The Norwegian Composers' Fund

Advice, service and member contact

The TONO grant gave me freedom! – I want to write because I want to, not to satisfy other people's expectations. It's important not to have to compromise on my artistic expression. The grant helped make it possible to work with local people in Stavanger, and to be true to myself.