Ewald Tatar to Receive 2025 EFA Lifetime Achievement Award
December
12
The European Festival Awards (EFAs) will present the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award to Austrian promoter Ewald Tatar, recognising his long-standing contribution to the country’s live music and festival landscape.
The award will be handed over during the EFA ceremony at De Oosterpoort in Groningen on 14 January 2026.
Tatar is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Austrian live entertainment sector. Beginning his career as a DJ, he went on to play a leading role in developing and producing many of Austria’s major festivals, including Nova Rock Festival, Frequency Festival, Forestglade Festival, Clam Rock, Love Day Festival and Butterfly Dance!.
He has also been responsible for stadium and arena shows by international artists such as The Rolling Stones, Prince, Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, Guns N’ Roses, Miley Cyrus and Imagine Dragons. His work also included supporting major tours in Eastern Europe, notably assisting in bringing Ed Sheeran to new markets and facilitating The Rolling Stones’ appearance in Warsaw.
Beyond his work in live entertainment, Tatar has played a central role in a number of high-profile charity initiatives. In 2015, he co-organised Voices for Refugees with Volkshilfe—a free concert attended by 100,000 people in support of refugees. In 2022, he and his team staged the sold-out We Stand With Ukraine concert at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion, generating significant funds for humanitarian relief.
His achievements in both music and charity have been recognised through his induction into the Austrian Hall of Fame.
The EFAs will also reveal the winners of the remaining 13 award categories at the January ceremony.