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This summer there has been debate and discussion about TONO's cultural funds. The TONO board now wants to change the model for cultural funds. But do you know what cultural funds actually are?
/ 28/08/2026 / Willy MartinsenTONO collects and distributes copyright revenues to songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers. At the same time, TONO is also part of an international tradition where collective management organizations contribute to strengthening the framework conditions for those who create music.
Such work is done in large parts of Europe. Many "TONO companies" have various schemes for scholarships, talent development, copyright work, political influence, competence building, networking arenas or other cultural purposes. The models are different. All have the same basic idea: Part of the organizations' income is used for measures that will strengthen authors and music publishers, and their opportunities to work in the best possible context. In other words: Strengthen the infrastructure and framework conditions around music creators.
This role is also recognised in the EU’s collective rights management framework. The EU’s CRM Directive states that collective management organisations not only distribute remuneration, but can also provide cultural, social and educational services to rightholders and contribute to cultural diversity. This must be done in line with the directive’s rules.
According to TONO's existing statutes, up to eight percent of net income (but not including income from abroad, mechanical rights or private copying fees) is set aside each year for cultural purposes. One third goes to the scholarship schemes TONO Scholarship, TONO's Young Talents Scholarship and the Music Publishers' Scholarship.
The remaining funds go to national music cultural purposes, and are managed through NOPA, the Norwegian Composers' Association and the Music Publishers. The funds are used for grant schemes and awards, consultancy, competence development, international work, copyright policy work and to run the associations, among other things.
At the extraordinary annual meeting on September 1, TONO's board will present a proposal for a new model for cultural funds. Several other proposals have also been received from TONO members for new models for cultural funds.
Cultural funds are deducted at up to 8 percent from TONO's settlement funds, in practice the deduction in recent years has been around 7 percent of our net income. It is natural in a member organization to discuss how the funds are used, the effect of the funds, and how they can best benefit TONO's members.
Some want a larger proportion to go directly back to the creators through scholarships and support schemes. Others have advocated that the drawdown for cultural funds should be higher.
This is a legitimate discussion. TONO's board has proposed changes to the model. The goal is to ensure that cultural funds continue to provide the greatest possible value for those who create and manage music in the future. If you have voting rights in TONO, attend the annual meeting on September 1. There, members will make important decisions about cultural funds.
The text was updated on August 28 at 3:01 PM, when it was added that cultural funds are not deducted from income from abroad, mechanical rights or private copying fees.