Richmond magazine received the Virginia Press Association’s grand sweepstakes, news sweepstakes and advertising sweepstakes awards for overall excellence in the specialty division in the group’s 2021 News & Advertising Contest. The specialty group includes member monthly magazines and alt weeklies. The contest is one of the largest in the nation, and the top awards were presented during a virtual video celebration on Thursday, April 28.
Richmond magazine staff and freelancers received 33 awards in the contest, with Mandy Loy and Justin Vaughan winning a Best in Show award for the infographic "Cherry on Top." "The presentation for this was so much fun and refreshing (pun intended)," the judges wrote. Vaughan and illustrator Briana Hertzog also won a Best in Show award for the illustration that accompanied the poem "I Have Seen Richmond," and Vaughan and photographer Eric Foster won a Best in Show for specialty photograph.
An illustration from "Cherry on Top," part of our "Cool Summer" ice cream feature from July 2021
Richmond magazine received 14 first-place awards, with freelancer Kim Catley being recognized for her feature writing portfolio. Senior Photographer Jay Paul was recognized for this photo, and Food Editor Eileen Mellon and freelancers Stephanie Ganz, Genevelyn Steele and photographers Paul, Justin Chesney and Monica Escamilla were awarded for "Taco Town." Arts Editor Craig Belcher, Graphic Designer Phong Nguyen and Editorial Intern Kerianne Slayton received an award for the "Writers in Residences" video series. Art Director Heather Palmateer was recognized for page design, and Art Director Rachel Lee, Graphic Designer Phong Nguyen and freelance designer Sarah Barton received first-place awards for their work on various advertisements.
See the complete list of awards below.
NEWS
Feature Writing Portfolio: First Place, Kim Catley, "The Making of a Beautiful Life," Big Feelings" and "The Big Quit"
News Writing Portfolio: Third Place, Rodrigo Arriaza
Arts Writing: Third Place, Harry Kollatz Jr., "World Builder"
Business and Financial Writing: Third Place, Eileen Mellon, "Built on Beer"
Combination Picture and Story: First Place, Eileen Mellon, Stephanie Ganz, Genevelyn Steele, Jay Paul, Monica Escamilla, Justin Chesney, "Taco Town"
Sports Feature Photo: First Place, Jay Paul, "Parting Shot"
Multimedia Report: First Place, Craig Belcher, Phong Nguyen, Kerianne Slayton, "Writers in Residences"
Pictorial Photo: Second Place, Jay Paul, "Up in Age, Up in Smoke"
Feature Photo: First Place, Eric Foster, Justin Vaughan, "Swimming in Sync"; Second Place, Monica Escamilla, Justin Vaughan, "Curt Autry"
Informational Graphics: First Place, Justin Vaughan, “Cherry on Top”
Data Journalism: First Place, Mandy Loy, Justin Vaughan, "Cherry on Top"
Illustration: First Place, Briana Hertzog, Justin Vaughan, "I Have Seen Richmond"
Special Sections or Special Editions: Second Place, Justin Vaughan, Lauren Baldwin, Rachel Lee, Heather Palmateer, Phong Nguyen for Sourcebook 2021
Specialty Pages or Sections: First Place, Heather Palmateer, Local
Design and Presentation: Second Place, Justin Vaughan, Lauren Baldwin, Rachel Lee, Heather Palmateer, Phong Nguyen, March, April and July issues
Front Page/Cover: Second Place, Justin Vaughan, Rachel Lee, Eric Foster, Justin Chesney
Page Design: Second Place Rachel Lee; Third Place, Lauren Baldwin
Picture Story or Essay, Third Place, Kate Thompson, "Making History"
Personality or Portrait Photo: Third Place, Justin Chesney, "Food for the Soul"
Illustrations: Third Place, Scott Bakal, Heather Palmateer, "The War Within"
ADVERTISING
Multiple Advertisers and Themed Pages: First Place, Sarah Barton, December gift guide
Member Self-Promotion: First Place, Rachel Lee, digital subscriptions
Food and Drug: First Place, Sarah Barton, Capitol Waffles; Second Place, Sarah Barton, Bev's; Third Place, Phong Nguyen, Kadi Bakes
Fashion and Personal Care: First Place, Sarah Barton, Carytown Optical
Lifestyles: First Place, Sarah Barton and Phong Nguyen, Mill at Fine Creek
Home and Garden: Third Place, Sarah Barton, Gardner Construction
Slick Publications: Third Place, Phong Nguyen, RVA Traveler Fall/Winter
