Erik Hillestad was today awarded TONO's Mediator Award (photo: Stig Jarnes/Say Cheeze)
Erik Hillestad has been awarded TONO's 2025 Mediation Prize for his tireless efforts for Norwegian music and international cultural dissemination over 50 years.
/ 15/09/2025 / Willy MartinsenThe award was presented to Hillestad today at Kulturkirken Jakob in Oslo, a stage he himself has helped develop into one of Norway's most important arenas for music and dialogue.
Erik Hillestad, founder and leader of Kirkelig Kulturverksted (KKV) from 1974 to 2024, has been a central figure in Norwegian music life for half a century. He is behind the release of over 500 records, has disseminated Norwegian music far beyond Norway's borders, and at the same time has given a voice to artists from oppressed ethnic groups.
Hillestad and KKV took a clear political stance with the release of Lullabies from the Axis of Evil 20 years ago – a direct reaction to George Bush's rhetoric about the Middle East as the "axis of evil".
Through his work, Hillestad and KKV have not only disseminated Norwegian music, but also highlighted the oppressed, marginalized, and conflict refugees. He has built bridges between cultures, and promoted art, culture, and human dignity in a time when political systems create fertile ground for xenophobia and hatred.
In a time of turmoil, Hillestad has stood as an ethical and moral compass for Norwegian music life. For 50 years, he has shown the power of the musical world language – and it is therefore particularly deserving that he be awarded the TONO Mediator Award 2025.
– For five decades, Erik Hillestad has shown the power of music as a bridge builder between people, cultures and faiths. His work with Kirkelig Kulturverksted has been completely unique in the Norwegian context, and has had great significance far beyond Norway's borders. It is a great pleasure for us to be able to award him the TONO Mediator Award 2025, says Karl Vestli, CEO of TONO.
TONO's Media Award was established in 2011 to honor people, organizations and companies that do exceptional work in communicating music to the public. The award consists of a diploma designed by Magne Furuholmen.
Previous winners include Øyafestivalen, Manfred Eicher/ECM, Tommy Tee, Rune Grammofon, Riddu Riddu and Grappa Musikkforlag.
The winner of the TONO Mediator Award is selected by TONO's EDVARD jury. In 2025, the jury consisted of:
Smith and Brendstrup are music publishers, the others are composers, songwriters and lyricists.
TONO was founded in 1928 and is a non-profit cooperative owned and managed by composers, lyricists and music publishers. TONO manages the economic copyrights in their musical works and grants licenses for the use of protected music in public for a fee. TONO's financial results are transferred to the rights holders of music that has been performed publicly in Norway and abroad. TONO has more than 44,000 members and also represents millions of international authors.
Willy Martinsen, Communications Director, willy.martinsen@tono.no, mobile 909 65,254