Music superstar Keith Urban has announced the establishment of the Keith Urban Rising Star Scholarship, a groundbreaking initiative designed to create pathways for emerging Australian country music artists to experience the Nashville music scene firsthand.
The scholarship, created in partnership with the Tamworth Country Music Festival, will offer one talented artist annually an all-expenses-paid trip to the heart of America’s country music industry.
The extensive package includes access to Nashville’s vibrant music scene, introductions to key industry personnel, and two full days of recording time at Urban’s recently acquired studio, The Sound.
This professional recording facility, purchased by Urban in June 2024, was formerly known as the legendary Tracking Room and will serve as the creative hub for scholarship recipients.
The scholarship aims to provide more than just a tourist experience, focusing instead on genuine industry exposure and development opportunities.
Beyond tourism: offering real industry connections and career-building experiences for tomorrow’s country stars.
Applications for the scholarship will open in January 2026, with a competitive selection process designed to identify artists with international potential.
Urban, who himself won the Star Maker competition at Tamworth in 1989, views this initiative as a way to “give back” to the industry and country that launched his career.
“It’s about giving talented people a chance to be heard,” Urban noted when discussing his motivation for creating the scholarship.
The Tamworth Country Music Festival, the second largest country music festival globally with over 300,000 annual attendees, provides a powerful platform for the scholarship.
Festival management has endorsed the initiative as a potential pathway to global success for Australian artists.
Industry leaders have praised the scholarship as revolutionary support for Australian country artists abroad, creating an important bridge between the Australian and American country music scenes.
Recipients will have the extraordinary opportunity to showcase their talents while performing and writing in one of the world’s most influential music cities.
The initiative is expected to inspire similar programs throughout the industry while enhancing Urban’s reputation as a champion for emerging talent.
Through this scholarship, Urban continues his history of mentoring and supporting the next generation of country music artists.
Urban’s commitment to nurturing new talent comes as Australia solidifies its position as the No. 3 market for country music globally, trailing only the United States and Canada.
The scholarship will help participants explore various income streams available to modern musicians, from streaming royalties to potentially lucrative sync deals.
Scholarship recipients will also receive guidance on how to effectively leverage digital distribution platforms to maximize their international exposure following their Nashville experience.
