The nomination period opened Monday for college students pursuing music industry careers to apply for $10,000 scholarships to be awarded by the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation, in partnership with Live Nation Entertainment and the Living Legacy Foundation.
"Music Forward, Live Nation and the Living Legacy Foundation have partnered to offer these unique scholarships to support the future of the live entertainment business," according to a joint statement. "This opportunity is specifically designed to support students interested in the core aspects of the concert business, including concert promotion, venue operation, ticketing, sponsorship, e-commerce and artist management."
A total of four scholarships will be awarded to college students who are in their junior or senior year, majoring in music business and/or related fields at an accredited college or university in the U.S.
Applications must be submitted online by March 31 at http://hobmusicforward.org/scholarships.
Criteria for selection include academic achievement, essay responses and recommendations. Scholarships will be announced in June, and awards will be given for the fall 2020 semester.
The four scholarships will be awarded in the following areas:
-- Steven J. Finkel Service Excellence Scholarship: Established in memory of a Live Nation employee ``who went above and beyond to improve the concert experience for fans, artists and staff, this scholarship is designed to support the ever-growing customer service expectations within the live entertainment industry."
-- Tiffany Green Operator Scholarship: Established in memory of one of Live Nation's first female concert production specialists, this scholarship is designed to support women pursuing a career in live entertainment.
-- Live Nation U.S. Concerts Scholarship: Established to support students interested in the core areas of Live Nation's business: concert promotion, venue operation, sponsorship, ticketing, e-commerce and artist management.
-- David E. Ballard Scholarship: Established in 2019 in memory of David E. Ballard with the support of the Living Legacy Foundation, this scholarship supports youth who have experienced homelessness and/or been part of the foster care system and are pursuing a career in live entertainment.
"We are thrilled to offer these scholarships to support young people from diverse backgrounds as they pursue an opportunity in the field of music," said Emily Simonitsch, senior vice president of talent for Live Nation U.S. Concerts and a Music Forward Foundation board member. "These scholarships help students develop the awareness, knowledge and confidence they'll need for a career in the industry."
