The cultural funds must be managed for the best interests of TONO's members. Therefore, TONO has thorough control mechanisms for the use of the funds. (Illustrative photo: Kristian Dugstad/TONO)
The allegations in Finansavisen on August 31 that NOK 180 million in cultural funds have been distributed without control do not give an accurate picture of how the scheme is actually followed up. The cultural funds are subject to solid control, reporting and auditing.
/ 01/09/2026 / Willy MartinsenCultural funds are members' money and should be used for purposes that benefit all members. Therefore, it is also important that there are control mechanisms, reporting and transparency related to how the funds are used. Finansavisen's article may leave the impression that these funds have been distributed without control. That is not true.
The group associations report annually on how the cultural funds are planned to be used, and how they are actually used. TONO's control committee reviews all board minutes, annual reports and accounts, meets with the group associations and the administration, and asks and handles questions related to the activities financed through the cultural funds. The control committee also reviews the associations' annual accounts.
All of this is done to fulfill the control committee's mandate, which is described in TONO's statutes, section 53, and to ensure that the funds are used in line with both the Collective Management Act and TONO's other statutes.
The fact that the amendment to the statute of § 53 in 2025 included a reference to the Collective Management Act does not mean that TONO only then adapted to the law. The control committee also dealt with the law before this. The amendment to the statute was a natural adjustment of the wording in line with the law.
TONO has created transparency reports since 2020. Each year, these reports include a separate sub-report on the use of the cultural funds, in line with the requirements of the Collective Management Act. The report is publicly available at tono.no, is made available annually as part of the annual meeting papers and is sent to all TONO members, as well as to the Norwegian Patent Office and the Ministry of Culture. The report also contains the group associations' own descriptions of how the funds have been used. You can find the interim report on the use of cultural resources in 2025 on pages 68 – 72 here..
The use of the cultural funds is also addressed through TONO's governance structure. The group associations must account for how they plan to use the money, in addition to submitting annual accounts and reports related to the funds. This is part of how the scheme is continuously followed up. In addition, each of the group associations produces its own publicly available reports that openly account for the use of the funds.
The Control Committee has pointed out a need to standardize and strengthen reporting. This is in addition to the reporting that already exists.
This does not mean, as the article in Finansavisen can be understood, that there is no control over the funds. The fact that the Control Committee proposes improvements is in itself an expression that the control is working.
It is natural that there are different views on how cultural resources should be used in a member organization like TONO. That discussion has been going on in the organization throughout the years. It will also continue to be part of the organization's democratic conversation in the years to come. But the debate will be better if it is based on correct premises.
At TONO's extraordinary annual meeting on Tuesday 1 September, the board will present new statutes that will, among other things, contribute to making the arrangement with cultural funds even better. We encourage members to stand at the annual meeting and vote for a new and better TONO. The future of TONO will be decided at the annual meeting.
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