Applications are now open until April 19
Toronto, ON – April 14, 2026 – The Departure Festival + Conference from Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG) and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) today announced the relaunch of the Scotiabank Arena & Coca-Cola Coliseum Departure Bursary Program, which will support 15 aspiring music industry professionals in 2026. Originally created by Canadian Music Week and MLSE, Departure continues the legacy of introducing new talent into the live entertainment industry.
Intended for post-secondary students pursuing careers in the music industry, the Scotiabank Arena & Coca-Cola Coliseum Departure Bursary Program aims to break barriers, providing an opportunity for live music’s brightest aspiring artists to attend Departure for the first time, learn more about this ever-growing and changing industry as well as build their network.
“With Scotiabank Arena and Coca-Cola Coliseum being the center of live entertainment in Toronto, we are thrilled to open our doors in a unique way once again through this bursary program,” said Neil Claydon, Vice President, Ticketing and Music & Live Entertainment, MLSE. “Ove the past few years, we’ve been able to give dozens of young leaders unprecedented access and opportunity to get a glimpse into our amazing and thriving industry, and we look forward to welcoming even more participants this year alongside our partners at Departure.”
Each recipient’s 2026 Departure Conference pass provides access to a variety of educational discussions and opportunities.Through meetings with a diverse cross-section of members in the music community, participants get to expand their networks and accelerate their career paths. Recipients will also connect directly with MLSE representatives at an exclusive industry meet-and-greet, including one-on-one meetings in the Departure Mentors Lounge.
“Opening doors for emerging talent is essential to the future of the music industry,” said Kevin Barton, Executive Director, Departure Festival + Conference. “With the relaunch of this bursary program, we’re proud to support the next generation of professionals by creating meaningful access to mentorship, education, and industry connections at a pivotal moment in their careers.”
Applications are now open until April 19 and recipients will be determined on April 27.
The Scotiabank Arena & Coca-Cola Coliseum Bursary Program is open to Canadian residents and encourages applications from equity-seeking groups. To apply for the Bursary Program, applicants can complete the application form online to explain who they are and why they want to attend Departure. MLSE will have access to all applications to determine the appropriate recipients. Details of all successful applicants will remain strictly confidential.
Apply online at https://departureto.com/bursary.
— 30 —
About Loft Entertainment
Loft Entertainment invests in culture-defining talent and creative partners to tell their stories. Founded by industry veteran Randy Lennox in Summer 2023, Loft offers the world’s leading artists creative, strategic and business services across all artistic and commercial touchpoints in the music, film and media. Visit loftent.com.
About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class-owned venues and a client roster of arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
About Scotiabank Arena
Scotiabank Arena is Canada’s premier sports and entertainment venue and home to the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club and the NBA’s Toronto Raptors Basketball Club. Owned and operated by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), Scotiabank Arena opened its doors in February 1999 and has been recognized with dozens of industry awards. Scotiabank Arena is often ranked the #1 Canadian arena, is often within the top 10 in the world for live event ticket sales and has also hosted over 80 million fans at over 5,000 events including multiple NHL and NBA playoff runs, the 2024 and 2000 NHL All-Star Game, hub city for the Eastern Conference teams during the return of the 2020 NHL season, 2019 WWE SummerSlam, 2017 Invictus Games, the 2016 NHL World Cup of Hockey, 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend, 2015 IIHF World U20 Championship and more.
Media Contact:
Touchwood PR (For Departure), departure@touchwoodpr.com
Victoria Malisani (For MLSE), Victoria.Malisani@mlse.com