Live Nation, Music Forward Foundation Offering Scholarships For Students Pursuing Music Industry Careers

Live Nation, the biggest promoter in the live entertainment business, and Music Forward Foundation announced their partnership continues this year, and together they will offer five $10,000 scholarships to college students pursuing careers in the music and live entertainment industry.

“We are happy to once again work with the Music Forward scholarship program as we continue to invest in talented, driven, and dedicated young people pursuing careers in live entertainment,” Jordan Zachary, Live Nation’s co-president of U.S. concerts, said in a statement.

They launched their 2024 scholarship application for students enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university and will award scholarships to those in either their junior or senior years majoring in music, music business, production and any field related to the industry. Live Nation and Music Forward Foundation, a national nonprofit that aims to kickstart live entertainment careers for the next generation, started the program to support students interested in the machinations of the music industry, including ticketing, concert promotion, sponsorship, artist management and hospitality.

Students have until March 31 to apply for a scholarship and can do it online at musicforwardfoundation.org/scholarships. Recipients are determined by a panel that includes industry executives and experts across academic, civic, entertainment and corporate sectors. The recipients are announced in June and will receive their scholarship for the 2024 fall semester.

“Scholarships remain a pivotal part of our community outreach and recruitment programming,” Nurit Smith, executive director of Music Forward Foundation, said in a statement. “Music Forward’s mission is to support young people hoping to enter the music and live entertainment industry and this program expands our reach to a wide range of students who may not otherwise be afforded the opportunity to pursue dream careers.”

The Governors Ball Scholarship will be given to a student native to the five boroughs of New York City to support their journey in performance, live production, music engineering and business related to the industry.

The Steven J. Finkel Service Excellence Scholarship, which honors the memory of a Live Nation employee who excelled at improving the concert-going experience for everyone involved, was created to support customer service expectations within the live entertainment business.

Another scholarship is one established to support women. The Tiffany Green Operator Scholarship honors one of Live Nation’s first female concert production specialists and awards a female student aspiring to work in the industry a $10,000 scholarship.

Students interested in concert promotion, venue operation, sponsorship, ticketing and artist management can apply for the Live Nation Scholarship.

Live Nation and Music Forward Foundation also designed a scholarship for students who have experienced homelessness and/or been part of the foster care system. They can apply for the David E. Ballard Scholarship, which was established in 2019 in partnership with Inherit the Music.

“Our ongoing partnership with the Music Forward Foundation reinforces our commitment to champion and empower the next generation of leaders in our industry,” Omar Al-joulani, Live Nation’s co-president of U.S. Concerts, said in a statement.