ABOUT
The WIFT+ Toronto Crystal Awards Luncheon Gala Bursary is a new initiative providing two (2) WIFT+ Toronto members, with early to mid-career industry experience, access to attend the WIFT+ Toronto Crystal Awards on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. This is an exciting career-accelerating opportunity to celebrate individuals making significant contributions in the Canadian screen-based media industry and to make key connections at one of our largest events of the year.
Thanks to the Foundation for WIFT+ Toronto, the selected recipients will have access to:
- Free admission to the 2026 Crystal Awards Gala Luncheon
- A sustainably sourced full course luncheon provided by Fairmont Royal York Hotel
- Opportunities to network with industry leaders and experts
The Crystal Awards, established in 1988, are WIFT+ Toronto’s annual tribute gala honouring individuals making significant contributions in the Canadian screen-based media industry. Since its inception nearly 4 decades ago, more than 185 esteemed individuals have been recognized for their excellence in creativity, innovation, leadership, and their commitment to mentoring the next generation of industry creators and leaders.
Learn more about this year's Crystal Awards here.
DATES
Applications Open: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Applications Close: Friday, October 30, 2026
ELIGIBILITY & HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for consideration:
- WIFT+ Toronto Full member in-good-standing. May join at time of application.
- Minimum 3-5 years’ professional experience in the screen-based industry.
- Must complete a final report within two weeks of the end of the awards.
Women, transgender, non-binary, Two-spirit, and/or gender-expansive media professionals (regardless of gender assigned at birth) are eligible for this bursary. Preference will be given to members of the Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and the LGBTAIQ+ communities, as well as individuals living with a disability or from any other equity-seeking community.
Please self-identify in your Letter of Intent. Applicants should clearly indicate in their Letter of Intent how this bursary will aid in their professional development and why they should be considered for the bursary (explaining financial hardship, etc).
If selected, and for any reason you are not able to attend, you must notify WIFT+ Toronto immediately, and forfeit your claim to the bursary. The bursary may be offered to a runner-up in the event that the selected applicant is unable to attend.
Please Note: Individuals who received a WIFT+ Toronto scholarship or bursary in the last 2 years are not eligible for the 2026 CRYSTAL AWARDS BURSARY.
To apply, submit the following documents as individual PDFs to this Google Form:
- Your CV/Resume including education and professional work experience (max 2 pages)
- Professional Bio (max 75 words)
- Letter of Intent outlining your response to the following questions (max 500 words): Have you ever attended the Crystal Awards? If so, when was the last time? What is your main goal for wanting to attend this year's gala? Who or what companies are you hoping to meet at the gala?
Please submit your documents as individual PDFs and name the files using this template: Full Name – Crystals – Description of File.pdf (e.g. AlexTalent – Crystals – Bio.pdf)
If you're unable to submit the documents to this Google Form, email them to janderson@wift.com (Subject Line: "Crystals Bursary 2026")
Deadline: Friday, October 30, 2026 @ 11:59 PM
Questions? For more information contact: Jody Anderson, Programs and Special Event Coordinator, at janderson@wift.com.