SANTA FE – America’s oldest state magazine, New Mexico Magazine continued a 102-year tradition of excellence at the 45th annual International Regional Media Association (IRMA) Awards, taking home 18 honors at the September 26 ceremony in Calgary in an array of categories for magazines with 35,000-plus circulations. New Mexico Magazine was also a finalist for Magazine of the Year, a title it was awarded in 2024.

“Telling a great story requires fantastic writing, photography and artwork, and New Mexico Magazine’s haul of awards from the International Regional Media Association demonstrates the talent and versatility of the team that brings these stories to hundreds of thousands of readers each year,” said Acting Tourism Secretary Lancing Adams.

“The passion for New Mexico from our staff and contributors comes through in every page of every issue,” said editor-in-chief Steve Gleydura. “These awards are a tribute to those efforts as well as a recognition of New Mexico’s rich culture, amazing landscapes, and engaging people.”

An IRMA judge summed up the beloved publication’s continuing excellence: “Fun, fresh, and poignant. Love the considered design elements and overall visual cohesion. The mix of hard-hitting stories and lighter features means there is something for everyone, and even longtime residents will definitely learn something new!”

For issues published in 2024, the magazine earned Gold awards in Cover and Historic Feature. Silver medals include Magazine Writer of the Year for Molly Boyle; Overall Art Direction for John McCauley and Karin Eberhardt; and Magazine Photographer of the Year for Tira Howard. The magazine team earned Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards across categories in writing, design, editorial, and photography.

Explore the full list of winners here: 

Gold

Cover – Western Fashion

Historic Feature – “Our Town” by Molly Boyle

Silver

Magazine Writer of the Year – Molly Boyle

Overall Art Direction – John McCauley and Karin Eberhardt

Magazine Photographer of the Year – Tira Howard

General Feature – “The Cult of Allsup’s” by Molly Boyle

Recreation Feature – “Unleashing the Beast” by Molly Boyle

Public Issues – “Worth Every Last Drop” by Elizabeth Miller

Food Feature – “Tacos of Enchantment” by Molly Boyle, Lynn Cline, Candolin Cook, Ungelbah Dávila, Monika Dziamka, Steve Gleydura, Lanee Lee, Debra Levy Martinelli, Carmella Padilla, and Cielo Rodriguez, photographed by Tira Howard

Department – Originals, edited by Steve Gleydura (“Sense of Place” by Molly Boyle and photographed by Minesh Bacrania; “Power of the Pen” by Jennifer Levin and photographed by Steven St. John; “Pinstripe Wizard” by Iris Fitzpatrick and photographed by Roberto E. Rosales)

Portrait Series – “A Deeply Practical Magic” by Kate Russell

Single Photo – “True West” by Tira Howard

Bronze

Art & Culture Feature – “A Deeply Practical Magic” by Molly Boyle

Nature and Environment Feature – “Growing Lessons” by Kate Nelson

Editorial Package – “Lights, Camera, New Mexico!” by Michael Abatemarco, Jaima Chevalier, Lynn Cline, Candolin Cook, Jennifer Levin, and Jennifer C. Olson, photographed by Tira Howard

Spot Illustration – “Soak Up Summer” by Ryan Johnson 

Portrait Photo – “Pinstripe Wizard” by Roberto E. Rosales

Merit

Art Direction of a Single Story – “True West” by John McCauley

To evaluate the achievements of member magazines, IRMA annually selects a panel of industry experts from outside IRMA who choose winners from the pool of submitted entries. The various award categories include editorial, design, and photography. Review more information about the 2024 IRMA award winners here.