This category honours exceptional articles with a distinctly Alberta subject, flavour and flair. This is subject to broad interpretation, but examples would be stories about Alberta’s cultural and economic scene; stories about Albertans; or stories told from a distinctly Albertan perspective. An Alberta Story submission is eligible to be entered in another written category.

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Sponsored by Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation

This category honours an early career journalist (within 5 years of having graduated from a post-secondary institute) whose non-fiction writing in AMPA-member and non-AMPA member Alberta magazines that demonstrates a high degree of talent and promise. An Emerging Writer submission is eligible to be entered in another written category.

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This category honours exceptional magazine writing in which a writer’s perspective is of prime importance.

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This category honours exceptional, fact-based feature magazine writing of more than 2,500 words.

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This category honours exceptional, fact-based feature magazine writing of 2,500 words or less.

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This category honours exceptional works of fiction first published by the magazine.

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This category honours exceptional works of poetry first published by the magazine. Entries may include a single poem or a collection of up to three poems by the same author, published in the same issue.

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This category honours exceptional magazine journalism that explores and focuses on the character and background of an individual or group.

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This category honours exceptional magazine journalism that provides readers with instructional, how-to or explanatory content in subject or field. A collection of articles (package) may be entered in this category, but only the written elements will be judged.

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This category honours an individual responsible for the exceptional art direction of a single issue by the creative use of imagery and graphic elements to support the issue’s theme and readers’ experience. This award is granted to art directors and their staff or freelance associates for a single print magazine issue.

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This category honours an individual responsible for the exceptional design of a single feature story, by the creative use of imagery and graphic elements to support the issue’s theme and readers’ experience. This award is granted to art directors and their staff or freelance associates for a single print magazine issue.

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This category honours exceptional work, single or a series, that works in context with a single article. Awards are granted to the creator of the work. Entries must be shown in the context of the article, although accompanying text is not judged. If the entry is not from an article title page, please upload the title page image as well.

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This category honours a compelling and unique photograph of landscape, still life, or architectural subjects, that works in context with the article. Awards are granted to the creator of the work. Entries must be shown in the magazine context, although accompanying text is not judged. If the entry is not from an article title page, please upload the title page image as well.

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This category honours a compelling and unique photograph of a person or group of people, that works in context with the article. Awards are granted to the creator of the work. Entries must be shown in the magazine context, although accompanying text is not judged. If the entry is not from an article title page, please upload the title page image as well.

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This category honours a compelling and unique series of photographs from a single issue. Entries must be shown in the magazine context, though accompanying text is not judged. If the entry is not from an article title page, please upload the title page image as well.

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This category honours an exception single magazine cover that demonstrates creative synergy between imagery and textual elements.

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What cool new idea did you try at your magazine in 2023? It could be a podcast series, video, membership or awards program, microsite, in-person or online event, a marketing campaign, or a new way of reaching your community – anything that  extended your brand. Tell us what you did and how it supported your magazine brand. All entries will be profiled and one winner will be announced.

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The individual will have demonstrated:

• A history of creating excellent magazine content and/or products
• Long-term success in the magazine industry
• Significant contributions to the Alberta magazine industry, including volunteer work, advocacy, leadership and collaboration
• A nominee can be anyone who works with an AMPA member magazine, has made a significant contribution to Alberta’s magazine publishing industry, and is a current resident of Alberta
• To qualify, a nominee must have worked a minimum of five years in the Alberta magazine industry
• The award is open to all magazine professionals in various areas of publishing, including but not limited to publishers, editors, art directors, freelancers, sales managers and circulation experts
• Nominations require two letters of support, and four copies of two issues from the past year that demonstrate the candidate’s best work mailed to the AMPA office AMPA office at cSPACE Marda Loop #420, 1721 29 Avenue SW. Calgary, AB T2T 6T7 by March 14, 2024

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The winner is a magazine that demonstrates excellence in editorial and design, fulfills a niche within the industry, and has strong potential for long-term sustainability.

• To qualify, the magazine must have a head office in Alberta (but does not have to be an AMPA member magazine) and have begun publishing after January 2019.
• Magazines that don’t abide by the national Magazine Advertising-Editorial Guidelines aren’t eligible. (View these guidelines on our website).
• The nomination form requires information about the magazine (including the editorial mandate, audience, staff positions, frequency, circulation and distribution); how the magazine fulfills a niche within the industry; and why the magazine has strong potential for long-term sustainability.
• Nominations require four copies of two recent issues that demonstrate the publication’s best work mailed to the AMPA office AMPA office at cSPACE Marda Loop #420, 1721 29 Avenue SW. Calgary, AB T2T 6T7 by March 14, 2024.

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The winner will have achieved standards of excellence in the creation of an Alberta magazine or magazines, demonstrating that they:

• Fulfill the stated mandate or vision of the magazine through editorial content that is engaging and relevant to its target audience
• Maintain high standards of editorial quality throughout the magazine

Judges will also recognize the nominee who demonstrates strong qualities of resourcefulness, collaboration and vision, as demonstrated by the nominee’s ability to:

• Bring out excellence in writers
• Maximize economic and people resources in the creation of superior content
• Engage stakeholders in venues beyond the magazine in ways that strengthen the magazine’s brand and sustainability

• A nominee can be anyone who works with an AMPA member magazine, has made a significant contribution to Alberta’s magazine publishing industry, and is a current resident of Alberta.
• To qualify, magazine editors must have been employed by an AMPA member magazine and worked on at least two consecutive issues in the eligible year.
• The nomination form requires information about the magazine (including circulation, frequency, mandate, audience, staff positions and editorial budget); the candidate’s duties at the magazine; and the candidate’s achievements relative to the editor position].
• Nominations require two letters of support, and four copies of two issues from the past year that demonstrate the candidate’s best work mailed to the AMPA office AMPA office at cSPACE Marda Loop #420, 1721 29 Avenue SW. Calgary, AB T2T 6T7 by March 14, 2024.

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The magazine consistently engages and serves the needs of its readers.

• To qualify, the publication must be an AMPA member magazine and have a head office in Alberta.
• The nomination form requires information about the magazine (including the editorial mandate, audience, staff positions, frequency, circulation and distribution); and a summary of the magazine’s achievements during the past year.
• Nominations require four copies of two recent issues from the past year that demonstrate the publication’s best work mailed to the AMPA office AMPA office at cSPACE Marda Loop #420, 1721 29 Avenue SW. Calgary, AB T2T 6T7 by March 14, 2024.

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The individual can be anyone who has worked with an AMPA member magazine, has demonstrated that they bettered the Alberta magazine industry through their involvement, and has inspired others to take part in the industry.

• To qualify, a candidate must have contributed more than 30 volunteer hours in 2022 to an AMPA member magazine or to AMPA.
• The nomination form requires information about the candidate’s magazine-related volunteer activities this past year; volunteer activities the nominee has been involved with in their lifetime (including non-magazine related work); and why the candidate volunteers for the Alberta magazine industry.
• Nominations require two letters of support.

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