2026 IRMA Awards Winners
Each year, the International Regional Magazine 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 and Europe. Active members of IRMA are eligible to enter and the awards are announced each year at the annual IRMA Conference. Now in its 46th year, the Awards were announced on Friday, September 18, 2026, at a Gala Reception in Calgary, Alberta.
AND THE WINNERS ARE …
Judges awarded Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Merit Awards in 45 Categories. The Gold winners and runners up are listed by category below.
Magazine of the Year (Circulation 34,999 or Less)
Adirondack Life
“The beautifully but simply designed features in Adirondack Life highlight the lush photography and drew me in as a reader.Thoughtful writing that is full of energy on important topics. Especially loved the beautiful covers” — IRMA Awards Jury
Acadiana Profile
“Acadiana Profile features very strong design featuring modern fonts and sophisticated typography treatments paired with gorgeous photography and fun illustration…feels like a national magazine from front to back. Especially loved the graphic playfulness of the food & summer issues.” — IRMA Awards Jury
Louisiana Life
“Louisiana Life boasts beautiful, lush photography and design throughout the issues—loved the Fall travel feature design & type treatment. The cover story “Hiding in Plain Sight” is a lovely exploration of what we’ve lost and a passionate steward for what remains.” — IRMA Awards Jury
Magazine of the Year (Circulation 35,000 or More)
Texas Highways
“Everything is bigger in Texas, and that’s a point of pride for Texas Highways, but that also presents a unique journalistic challenge: to document a state so vast and so diverse culturally and topographically in a way that still feels personal and local. What comes across and ties the magazine and state together are the voices of the people that are featured.” — IRMA Awards Jury
Arizona Highways
“Arizona Highways clears its ambitious goal “to get people off the couch” and “to inspire readers to hit the road and experience something new.” While some regional magazines claim to hold a mirror up to a place, each issue of Arizona Highways feels more like a window that the reader wants to jump through.” — IRMA Awards Jury
New Mexico Magazine
“Stunning visuals that captivate a reader and invite lingering on every page of New Mexico Magazine. Great service with compelling details that highlight dutiful reporting. This is great magazine-making with purposeful entry points, engaging headlines, design that elevates the editorial content.” — IRMA Awards Jury
Public Issues
Gold: “Addition and Subtraction”, Adirondack Life
Gold: “Home of the Clouds”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Connecting Time, Place, and People”, El Palacio
Bronze: “How Does a Child Become a Killer?”, The Bermudian
Historic Feature, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Strike and Struggle”, El Palacio
Silver: “Treasure Island”, Adirondack Life
Bronze: “Hockey’s Immortal Challengers”, Saltscapes
Historic Feature, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Staring Into Space”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “The Last Voyage of the HMS Speedy”, Cottage Life
Bronze: “The Ties That Bind”, Texas Highways
Merit: “If These Walls Could Talk”, New Mexico Magazine
Nature and Environment, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Hiding in Plain Sight”, Louisiana Life
Gold: “The River Fixers”, Adirondack Life
Silver: “Hoop Net Fishing”, Acadiana Profile
Bronze: “Living on the Edge”, KANSAS! Magazine
Merit: “Unbridled: Living with the Feral Takhini River Horses”, The Yukon Magazine
Nature and Environment, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Gone in Seven Seconds”, Texas Highways
Silver: “As Different As Night and Day”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Drop By Drop”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Flow State”, Avenue
Travel Feature
Gold: “Arizona Unplugged”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Frontier Spirits”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Architecture of Restlessness”, Texas Highways
Art and Culture Feature, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Mardi Gras Magic”, Louisiana Life
Silver: “Trailblazers”, Acadiana Profile
Bronze: “Symphonies in the Skies”, El Palacio
Merit: “The Lost Trail of Tiffany”, Mountain Home
Merit: “More Than Skin Deep: How and Why Traditional Tattoos Are Coming Back”, The Yukon Magazine
Art and Culture Feature, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Help Yourself”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “She’s a Relative Unknown”, Arizona Highways
Recreation Feature
Gold: “Show of Hands”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Art City, Here We Come”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Sweeping Down the Main”, Oklahoma Today
General Feature, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Northern Cousins in a World of Silos”, The Yukon Magazine
Silver: “Art and Activism at Highlands University”, El Palacio
Bronze: “Going Off Script”, Mountain Home
Bronze: “Where Herons Gather”, Adirondack Life
Merit: “In Stone”, Wyoming Wildlife
General Feature, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “A Tale of Two Crops”, New Mexico Magazine
Silver: “Alternative Energy”, Arizona Highways
Bronze: “Born to the Skies”, Texas Highways
Profile, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Character Study”, Adirondack Life
Silver: “Pathway and Relationship”, El Palacio
Bronze: “Gina Pfleegor’s Warriors Wear Gowns”, Mountain Home
Profile, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Forces for Nature”, Texas Highways
Silver: “An Island of One’s Own”, Cottage Life
Bronze: “Standing Perfectly Still”, Arizona Highways
Reader Service Article
Gold: “Flight Of Fancy”, New Mexico Magazine
Silver: “Spirited Away”, Texas Highways
Bronze: “Being Loved to Death”, Wyoming Wildlife
Bronze: “The Big Fights”, Cottage Life
Hed & Dek
Gold: “Ducking and Weaving”, Louisiana Life
Gold: “Fork Yeah”, Acadiana Profile
Silver: “Dome Away from Home”, Texas Highways
Bronze: “Neither Hide Nor Hair”, Arizona Highways
Essay
Gold: “Amarillo by Morning”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Learning How to Fall”, Adirondack Life
Bronze: “In a Big Country”, Cottage Life
Merit: “Painful Lessons”, Arizona Highways
Column
Gold: “Editor’s Letter”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Short Carries”, Adirondack Life
Bronze: “Wild Notes”, Oklahoma Today
Bronze: “El Palacio Letter from the Editor”, El Palacio
Best New Magazine Writer of the Year
Gold: “Bobby Alemán: Where the Raindrop Ends”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Cathay Williams: In Search of Liberation With the Buffalo Soldiers”, El Palacio
Bronze: “Blending Land With Curriculum”, The Yukon Magazine
Magazine Writer of the Year
Gold: “Kevin Rabalais”, Louisiana Life
Silver: “Annette McGivney”, Arizona Highways
Bronze: “Ian Dille”, Texas Highways
Single Photo
Gold: “Gone in Seven Seconds”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Capture”, KANSAS! Magazine
Bronze: “Ashley Riggs”, Arizona Highways
Merit: “Noisy Neighbors”, Adirondack Life
Photo Series, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Hoop Net Fishing”, Acadiana Profile
Silver: “Enjoy the Ride”, Oklahoma Today
Bronze: “Ducking and Weaving”, Louisiana Life
Photo Series, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Big Skies”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Different Point of View”, Arizona Highways
Bronze: “The Crown Prince”, New Mexico Magazine
Portrait Photo
Gold: “Bill Anton”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Andy Armendariz Sr.”, Texas Highways
Bronze: “Character Study”, Adirondack Life
Merit: “Self Portrait in a Complex Mirror”, New Mexico Magazine
Portrait Series
Gold: “The Makers and the Music”, Acadiana Profile
Gold: “The Young’Uns”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Bewitched by the Bayou”, Texas Highways
Bronze: “Okies of the Year – Thunder Players”, Oklahoma Today
Magazine Photographer of the Year
Gold: “Joel Hazelton”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “Joseph Vidrine”, Acadiana Profile
Silver: “Danley Romero”, Louisiana Life
Bronze: “George Andrejko”, Arizona Wildlife Views
Merit: “Julia Cumes”, Cape Cod & the Islands Magazine
Illustration — Feature or Series
Gold: “The Cottager’s Guide to Cloud Collecting”, Cottage Life
Gold: “State Parks Field Guide”, Oklahoma Today
Silver: “Back Where They Belong”, Arizona Highways
Bronze: “Mysteries and Legends”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Dark Tourism”, Texas Highways
Merit: “Cathay Williams: In Search of Liberation with the Buffalo Soldiers”, El Palacio
Spot Illustration
Gold: “Open Road: Tied to a String”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Wide, Wide World of Opportunities”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Wild Notes”, Oklahoma Today
Home and Garden
Gold: “Into the Woods”, Texas Highways
Silver: “An Island of One’s Own”, Cottage Life
Bronze: “Growing Up Brandreth”, Adirondack Life
Merit: “Rooted in Place”, Maine Home+Design
Art Direction of a Single Story, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Surf and Turf”, Louisiana Life
Silver: “Light Recipes”, Acadiana Profile
Bronze: “A New Outlook”, Maine Home+Design
Art Direction of a Single Story, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Music Venues”, Texas Highways
Silver: “A Court of Poison Ivy and Acorns”, Cottage Life
Bronze: “The Fairest of Them All”, New Mexico Magazine
Overall Art Direction, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Sarah Majeste”, Acadiana Profile
Silver: “Sarah Majeste”, Louisiana Life
Bronze: “Mark Mahorsky”, Adirondack Life
Overall Art Direction, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Mark Mahorsky, Sara D’Eugenio, Chris Linnen, Brandon Jakobeit”, Texas Highways
Silver: “John McCauley, Karin Eberhardt”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Taylor Kristan”, Cottage Life
Department
Gold: “Fuel”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Home”, Acadiana Profile
Bronze: “The Journal”, Arizona Highways
Food Feature
Gold: “The Reel Deals”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Food Lovers Travel Guide”, Louisiana Life
Silver: “Fork Yeah”, Acadiana Profile
Bronze: “Sandwich Quest”, Oklahoma Today
Merit: “A Cocktail Renaissance”, KANSAS! Magazine
Special Focus
Gold: “The Music Issue”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Arizona Highways One Hundred Years 1925 to 2025”, Arizona Highways
Bronze: “The Food Issue”, Acadiana Profile
Editorial Package
Gold: “The Music Issue”, Texas Highways
Silver: “Calgary’s Best Neighbourhoods 2025”, Avenue
Bronze: “Wyoming Wildlife — Movement Matters Special Issue”, Wyoming Wildlife
Merit: “Morning Glories”, Cottage Life
Cover, Circulation 34,999 or Less
Gold: “Hiding in Plain Sight, May/June 2025”, Louisiana Life
Silver: “Okies of the Year, Nov/Dec 2025”, Oklahoma Today
Bronze: “The Best of Bermuda Awards, Summer 2025”, The Bermudian
Bronze: “Look Who’s Talking, Spring 2025”, The Yukon Magazine
Merit: “A Field Guide to Summer, June/July 2025”, Acadiana Profile
Cover, Circulation 35,000 or More
Gold: “Everything’s Big Here, July/August 2025”, Texas Highways
Silver: “The Wildlife Issue, July 2025”, New Mexico Magazine
Bronze: “Arizona Highways, April 2025”, Arizona Highways
Best Print Calendar
Gold: “Louisiana Culinary Calendar”, Louisiana Life
Silver: “Oklahoma Today Covers Calendar”, Oklahoma Today
Bronze: “Classic Calendar 2025”, Arizona Highways
Bronze: “New Mexico Magazine Artist Calendar”, New Mexico Magazine
Merit: “2026 Calendar”, Arizona Wildlife Views
Best Brand Innovation
Gold: “Top 20 Under 20”, Avenue
Gold: “Route 66 Centennial”, New Mexico Magazine
Silver: “Oklahoma Today Video Podcast”, Oklahoma Today
Website of the Year
Gold: “arizonahighways.com”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “TexasHighways.com”, Texas Highways
Bronze: “Louisiana Life Website”, Louisiana Life
Merit: “Acadiana Profile Website”, Acadiana Profile
Newsletter
Gold: “New Mexico Magazine, Newsletter”, New Mexico Magazine
Silver: “Texas Highways Newsletters”, Texas Highways
Bronze: “Acadiana Profile”, Acadiana Profile
Podcast
Gold: “Arizona Highways Podcast”, Arizona Highways
Silver: “The Yukon Magazine Podcast”, The Yukon Magazine
Bronze: “Louisiana Insider”, Louisiana Life
Merit: “Encounter Culture”, El Palacio