Every year, independent journalists break the stories that matter most. They expose corruption, challenge powerful institutions, and report the stories legacy media too often ignore.

Now, it’s time to recognize that work.

Join the Independent Press Gallery for the IPG Awards Luncheon on Sunday, August 30, 2026, an afternoon celebrating excellence in independent journalism from around the world.

Held as part of The Democracy Fund’s Student Journalism Conference, the IPG Awards shine a spotlight on fearless reporting in video, written, and investigative journalism.

This isn’t about giant corporate newsrooms.

It’s about the freelancers filing stories from their kitchen tables at midnight. The documentary filmmakers chasing truth with no safety net. The independent reporters keeping democracy alive one story at a time.

And this year, there’s more than recognition on the line.

Each category features cash prizes, including $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place.

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Submissions are open now, but the deadline to enter is May 25, so don’t wait until the last-minute panic and coffee-fuelled regret kicks in.

If you’re an independent journalist, editor, filmmaker, publisher, student journalist, or simply someone who believes in press freedom, this event is for you.

The IPG Awards Luncheon takes place Sunday, August 30 at noon ET at the Novotel North York in Toronto.

Submit your work, apply to attend, or grab your tickets today. Because independent journalism deserves its own stage.