TORONTO — The Canadian Film Centre (CFC) announced today it has introduced a new entrance scholarship “to entirely offset tuition fees for all incoming residents of the organization’s film, television and acting programs,” reads a press release.
These scholarships will be awarded automatically each year to entering residents upon their acceptance into the CFC’s screen-based programs, with funding coming from the CFC’s donors, “including named bursaries and longstanding donors to the organization’s Endowment Fund,” the release explains.
“The scholarship initiative is aimed at reducing barriers and increasing access to CFC programs and is part of the organization’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) as outlined in its 2022-2024 strategic plan.”
“Stories come from everywhere,” said maxine bailey, the CFC’s executive director, in the release. “CFC is committed to shaping the future of Canadian storytelling and to eliminating barriers of all kinds — especially financial — to better support and empower Canadian storytellers from all communities, identities, abilities, and intersections.
“Of course, this scholarship initiative wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our generous donors and funders who are helping us amplify the voices and stories of a new generation of creative talent,” bailey added.
The first program cohorts to receive this entrance scholarship are the residents of the 2022 Bell Media Prime Time TV Program and the 2022 Norman Jewison Film Program, all of whom started their respective programs on July 5.
In addition to the entrance scholarship, incoming residents of the CFC’s screen-based programs will receive a monthly bursary to help offset additional costs associated with participating in the program. Furthermore, “for individuals from outside of Ontario who are relocating to Toronto to attend the CFC, they will also receive a one-time relocation bursary,” the release adds.
The announcement of this scholarship initiative comes a little more than a year into bailey’s tenure as CFC executive director. She took on this role in May 2021, “with a clear vision for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility to drive and inform all of the organization’s operations and offerings,” according to the release.
“It is critical that we all play our part in dismantling the status quo, that we challenge injustice and embrace difference, so that our workplaces, our industry, our communities and our content reflect the world in which we live,” bailey said.
“I’m focused on continuing to evolve CFC’s offerings and initiatives in order to create more opportunities for underrepresented Canadian storytellers to meaningfully participate in the screen industry and showcase their voices and stories.”
For more on today’s announcement and the changes being implemented at the CFC, please click here.
