2024 IRMA Awards Winners
Each year, the International Regional Media Association recognizes the best in regional magazine journalism, photography, illustration, and design. Entries are evaluated by a panel of expert judges from across North America. Active members of IRMA are eligible to enter and the awards are announced each year at the annual IRMA Conference. Now in its 44th year, the Awards were announced on Friday, June 14, 2024, at a Gala Reception in Charlotte, NC.
AND THE WINNERS ARE …
Judges awarded Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Merit Awards in 43 Categories. The Gold winners and runners up are listed by category below.
Magazine of the Year
(Circulation 34,999 or Less)
“Oklahoma Today is a well-rounded magazine in terms of subjects covered. An immense amount of work obviously goes into each piece of each issue.” — IRMA Awards Jury
Honorable Mention
Magazine of the Year (Circulation 35,000 or More)
“Each issue of New Mexico Magazine reads like a love letter to New Mexico’s unique culture, diversity, activities and places. I found myself day-dreaming of visiting and looking up similar events and activities in my state. Great writing, and beautiful, clean, elevated design.” — IRMA Awards Jury
Honorable Mention
Public Issues
Gold
Adirondack Life
“Billion Dollar Bet”
Brian Mann
Silver
Cottage Life
“Talk of the Towns”
Philip Preville
Bronze
Arizona Highways
“Back to the Beginning”
Annette McGivney
Historic Feature
(34,999 or less circulation)
Gold
KANSAS! Magazine
“City of Sorrow”
Will Haynes
Silver
Adirondack Life
“Cold War Hot Spots”
Tim Rowland
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
“Oklahoma’s Dark Poet of Crime”
Jim Logan
Historic Feature
(35,000 or more circulation)
Gold
Texas Highways
“Prison Rodeo”
Cat Cardenas
Silver
Cottage Life
“On the Shores of a Lake Just Like Yours or Mine”
Katherine Laidlaw
Bronze
New Mexico Magazine
“Ancient Enigmas”
Kate Nelson
Merit
Arizona Highways
“What a Place to Call Home”
Kathy Montgomery
Nature and Environment
(34,999 or less circulation)
Gold
Acadiana Profile,
“Billion Dollar Bet”
Kevin Rabalais
Silver
Louisisana Life,
“Shell Game”
Kevin Rabalais
Bronze
Oklahoma Today,
“Tales From the Dark Side”
Gordon Grice
Merit
Yukon, North of Ordinary
“Looking after the Land Together”
Rhiannon Russel
Nature and Environment
(35,000 or more circulation)
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“To Catch a Runner”
Elizabeth Miller
Silver
Cottage Life
“In Search of Life Below”
Sasha Chapman
Bronze
Texas Highways
“Small Wonders”
Christopher Collins
Recreation Feature
Gold
Adirondack Life
“Zero to Jackrabbit”
Paul Greenberg
Gold
Texas Highways
“Home is Where You Park It”
Sarah Hepola
Silver
New Mexico Magazine
“Choose Your Adventure”
Julian Dossett, David Gomez, Elizabeth Miller, Jim O’Donnell
Bronze
Cottage Life
“The Last Flight of the Ariel V”
Naomi Buck
Merit
Yukon, North of Ordinary
“A Place Where Everyone Belongs”
Christopher Tse
Travel feature
Gold
Texas Highways
“Wind Advisory”
Lauren Hough
Silver
Arizona Highways
“A Long Strange Trip”
Morgan Sjogren
Bronze
Mountain Home
“Winey Dogs Allowed”
Lilace Mellin Guignard
Art and Culture Feature
Gold
Oklahoma Today
“Moonlight on the Osage”
Mason Whitehorn Powell
Silver
Texas Highways
“Women of Outlaw Country”
Natalie Weiner
Bronze
Down East
“The World Through Kaleidoscope Eyes”
Will Grunewald
Merit
Arizona Highways
“According to Custom”
Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi
Merit
New Mexico Magazine
“Both Sides Now”
Molly Boyle
Merit
Yukon, North of Ordinary
“It’s Hot Up Here”
Hayley Ritchie
General Feature
(Circulation 34,999 or less)
Gold
Adirondack Life
“Staying Grounded”
Bill McKibben
Silver
Yukon, North of Ordinary
“Built to Last”
Mark Kopke
Bronze
Louisiana Life
“The Rush of Chasing Haints”
Cheré Coen
General Feature
(Circulation 35,000 or more)
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“Coming Home”
Bill Shapiro
Silver
Texas Highways
“Redemption Songs”
Katie Gutierrez
Bronze
Arizona Highways
“It’s Looking Up Downtown”
Lawrence W. Cheek
Reader Service
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“Up, Up, and Away”
Lynn Cline, Julian Dossett, Bryce Risley
Silver
Cottage Life
“Summer Time and the Livin’ is Sneezy”
Jackie Davis
Silver
Texas Highways
“A Texas Botanical Guide”
Robyn Ross
Bronze
Adirondack Life
“An Acre of Dreams”
Paul Greenberg
Profile
(Circulation 34,999 or less)
Gold
Wyoming Wildlife
“Fishing with Coach”
Robert Gagliardi
Silver
Mountain Home
“Torch Singer”
Lilace Mellin Guignard
Bronze
Acadiana Profile
“Chris Stafford”
David Cheramie
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
“Being There”
Megan Rossman
Profile
(Circulation 35,000 or more)
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“Both Sides Now”
Molly Boyle
Silver
Arizona Highways
“The Grand Master”
Matt Jaffe
Bronze
Texas Highways
“Pancho Claus”
Danielle Lopez
Hed & Dek
Gold
Arizona Highways
“Dam Shame”
Robert Stieve
Silver
Acadiana Profile
“Getting Smoked”
Melanie Warner Spencer
Bronze
Louisiana Life
“Top Fun”
Melanie Warner Spencer
Essay
Gold
Cottage Life
“Long Range Forecast”
Katharine Hayhoe and Alex Newman
Silver
Texas Highways
“Open Road: We Were Known For Our Rivers”
Kimberly Garza
Bronze
Adirondack Life
“Building Fences”
Lisa Bramen
Bronze
Mountain Home
“Rye Rebels”
Jimmy Guignard
Merit
Arizona Highways
“Learning on the Fly”
Kelly Vaughn
Column
Gold
Mountain Home
“Glory Hill Diaries”
Maggie Barnes
Silver
Oklahoma Today
“Sounds Like Oklahoma”
Preston Jones
Silver
Cottage Life
“Cottage Q&A”
Jackie Davis
Silver
Arizona Highways
“Editor’s Letter”
Robert Stieve
Bronze
Adirondack Life
“Short Carries”
Annie Stoltie
Department
Gold
Cottage Life
“Waterfront”
Editor: Jackie Davis; Art Direction: Taylor Kristan
Silver
Louisiana Life
“Natural State”
Kevin Rabalais
Bronze
New Mexico Magazine
“Originals”
Molly Boyle, Elizabeth Miller, Jim O’Donnell, Steven St. John, Minesh Bacrania
Merit
Texas Highways
“Open Road”
Texas Highways staff
Food Feature
Gold
Texas Highways
“Fired Up”
Marcela Fuentes
Silver
Down East
“Blasts from the Past”
Will Grunewald and Down East staff
Bronze
New Mexico Magazine
“Viv la Cocina!”
Molly Boyle
Merit
Oklahoma Today
“Where There’s Smoke”
Karlie Ybarra
Special Focus
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“100th Anniversary Issue”
New Mexico Magazine staff and contributors
Silver
Texas Highways
“The Outlaw Issue”
Texas Highways staff and contributors
Bronze
Adirondack Life
“The Night Issue”
Annie Stoltie, Lisa Brament, Mark Mahorsky, Adirondack Life contributors
Home and Garden
Gold
Cottage Life
“On the Sun-Drenched Rocks”
Photographer: Liam Mogan; Writer: Eric Mutrie; Alysha Vandertogt (editor), Taylor Kristan (art director)
Silver
The Bermudian
“29th Annual Building and Interior Design Awards”
Art Director: Linda Weinraub; Writer: Annabel Cooper
Bronze
Adirondack Life
“Dartbrook Rustic Goods”
Photographer: Carrie Marie Burr; Writer: Annie Stoltie
Editorial Package
Gold
Texas Highways
“A Texas Botanical Guide”
Writer: Robyn Ross; Illustrator: Lucy Rose (illustrator); Texas Highways staff and contributors
Silver
New Mexico Magazine
“Calm, Cool and Connected”
Writer: Molly Boyle; Photography: Tira Howard
Bronze
Cottage Life
“How to Win at Winter”
Cottage Life staff and contributors, Taylor Kristan (art director)
Merit
Avenue
“Get Out There: A Guide to Summer in the Mountains”
Writers: Shelley Arnusch, Jacquie Moore, Andrew Penner
Contributors: Jared Sych (photography), Jarrett Sitter (illustrator), Steve Collins (Creative Director), Shelley Arnusch (editor)
Merit
The Bermudian
“The Bermudian for Kids”
Editor: Tina Stevenson; Art Director: Linda Weinraub
Illustration, Feature or Series
Gold
Kansas! Magazine
“Notorious”
Torren Thomas
Silver
Arizona Highways
“Who Shot First?”
Sam Ward
Bronze
Texas Highways
“Fault Lines”
James Weston Lewis
Bronze
Wyoming Wildlife
“Movement Matters”
Mario Noche
Bronze
New Mexico Magazine
“In Relation to All Things”
Shout
Merit
Cottage Life
“In Search of Life Below”
Meegan Lim
Illustration, Spot
Gold
Texas Highways
“Speaking Of: George Saunders”
Peter Strain
Silver
Adirondack Life
“Camping 101″Mike Reddy
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
“Scream Queen”
JJ Ritchey
Merit
Acadiana Profile
“La Butte des chiens”
Sarah Willia
Single Photo
Gold
Arizona Highways
“Schnebly Hill Monsoon”
Sonny Parker
Silver
Adirondack Life
“A Different View”
Rodney Smith
Bronze
Cottage Life
“Jump Tower Photography”
Daniel Ehrenworth
Photo Series
(Circulation 34,999 or less)
Gold
Yukon, North of Ordinary
“Icons of the Alpine”
Sonny Parker
Silver
Louisiana Life
“Hog Wild”
Kevin Rabalais
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
“Cocktail Couture”
Lori Duckworth
Photo Series
(Circulation 35,000 or more)
Gold
Arizona Highways
“Flavor of the Months”
Jeff Kida (photo editor)
Silver
Texas Highways
“Prison Rodeo”
Bill Kennedy
Bronze
New Mexico Magazine
“Family Gathering”
Tira Howard
Portrait Photo
Gold
Texas Highways
“Keeping the Faith”
Christ Chavez
Silver
New Mexico Magazine
“Keeping the Faith”
Minesh Bacrania
Bronze
Arizona Highways
“William the Conqueror/Henry Gray”
William Allard
Portrait Series
Gold
Oklahoma Today
“Where There’s Smoke”
Valerie Wei-Hass
Silver
Texas Highways
“United in Motion”
Christ Chavez
Bronze
Avenue
“Wakefield Brewster: Poet for the People”
Steve Collins
Print Calendar
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“Artist Calendar”
Doug West
Silver
Louisiana Life
“Culinary Calendar”
Stanley Davis, Eugenia Uhl, Sarah George, Ashley McLellan
Bronze
Cottage Life
“Cottage Life Calendar”
Jackie Davis, Kathleen O’Hare, Taylor Kristan, Michelle Kelly, Cottage Life staff and contributors
Cover
(Circulation 34,999 or less)
Gold
Kansas! Magazine
“Notorious”
Illustrator: Torren Thomas; Contributors: Shelly Bryant (art director); Andrea Etzel, Nathan Pettengill, Kalli Jo Smith (editors)
Gold
Yukon, North of Ordinary
“Icons of the Alpine”
Photographer: Sonny Parker, Contributors: Manu Keggenhoff (creative director); Amy Kenny (editor)
Silver
Adirondack Life
“Lake Love”
Carrie Marie Burr (photography), Mark Mahorsky (creative director)
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
“Killers of the Flower Moon”
Addie Roanhorse (illustrator), Lori Duckworth (photography), Walker Creative/Steven Walker (art director)
Cover
(Circulation 35,000 or more)
Gold
New Mexico Magazine
“100th Anniversary Issue”
Illustrator: Neil Jamieson; Contributors: John McCauley (art director)
Silver
Texas Highways
“The Year in Photos”
Photographer: Christ Chavez; Mark Mahorsky (creative director)
Bronze
Cottage Life
“The Cottage is Boring”
Photographer: Daniel Ehrenworth; Contributors: Taylor Kristan (art director), Michelle Kelly, Alysha Vandertogt (editors)
Art Direction of a Single Story
(Circulation 34,999 or less)
Gold
Louisiana Life
“Louisianian’s Field Guide”
Sarah George
Silver
Acadiana Profile
“25 Fun Things To Do This Summer”
Sarah George
Bronze
Adirondack Life
“Camping 101”
Mark Mahorsky
Merit
Kansas! Magazine
“Notorious”
Shelly Bryant
Merit
The Bermudian
“Ten Ways to Celebrate the Season!”
Linda Weinraub
Art Direction of a Single Story
(Circulation 35,000 or more)
Gold
Texas Highways
“A Texas Botanical Guide”
Mark Mahorsky
Silver
Cottage Life
“The Cottage is Boring”
Taylor Kristan
Bronze
New Mexico Magazine
“Burn, Baby, Burn!”
John McCauley
Overall Art Direction
(Circulation 34,999 or less)
Gold
Acadiana Profile
Sarah George
Silver
Louisiana Life
Sarah George
Bronze
Adirondack Life
Mark Mahorsky
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
Walker Creative/Steven Walker
Overall Art Direction
(Circulation 35,000 or more)
Gold
Cottage Life
Taylor Kristan
Silver
New Mexico Magazine
John McCauley, Karin Eberhardt
Bronze
Arizona Highways
Keith Whitney, Lisa Altomare, Jeff Kida
Merit
Texas Highways
Mark Mahorsky, Ashley Burch, Chris Linnen, Brandon Jakobeit
Magazine Writer of the Year
Gold
Adirondack Life
Brian Mann
Silver
New Mexico Magazine
Molly Boyle
Bronze
Louisiana Life
Kevin Rabalais
Merit
Texas Highways
Katie Gutierrez
Magazine Photographer of the Year
Gold
Texas Highways
Sean Fitzgerald
Silver
Arizona Highways
Joel Hazelton
Bronze
Adirondack Life
Carrie Marie Burr
Merit
Arizona Wildlife Views
George Andrejko
Merit
Yukon, North of Ordinary
Manu Keggenhoff
Newsletter
Gold
Cottage Life
“Family Matters Newsletter”
Writer: Penny Caldwell; Editors: Michelle Kelly, Megan McPhaden
Silver
The Bermudian
“This is the Week That Was”
Gabrielle Boyer (editor) and contributors
Podcast
Gold
Cottage Life
“The Cottage Life Podcast”
Producers, Michelle Kelly and Catherine Jheon; host, Michelle Kelly
Silver
Oklahoma Today
“The Oklahoma Today Podcast”
Contributors: Nathan Gunter, Karlie Ybarra, Megan Rossman, Ben Luschen, Bridgette Sloan (editor)
Best Social Media Presence
Gold
Cottage Life
“Cottage Life Social Media”
Cottage Life staff
Website of the Year
Gold
Texas Highways
TexasHighways.com
Contributors: Natalie Moore, Tyson Bird, Danielle Lopez, Sarah Thurmond
Silver
Arizona Highways
ArizonaHighways.com
Contributors: Robert Stieve, Kelly Vaughn, Noah Austin, Ameema Ahmed; Vicky Snow (webmaster)
Bronze
Oklahoma Today
OklahomaToday.com
Contributors: Karlie Ybarra, Ben Luschen, Megan Rossman, Nathan Gunter
Merit
The Bermudian
TheBermudian.com
Gabrielle Boyer (editor) and contributors