Best in Class Contest
A single-entry competition
The Best in Class Contest has member magazines competing for awards based on print circulation.
A recurring comment from members with small budgets and limited staff has been they find it difficult to compete with magazines produced with significant resources and large staffs. While a competition based on circulation is not a perfect solution, the Best in Class contest helps level the playing field for many publications. The contest does not replace the annual Awards of Excellence.
See the results from the 2023 Best in Class contest here.
2023 Contest Deadline for entry: Friday, August 25, 2023
Contest Details
- The single-entry Best in Class contest judges the design and editorial content of the entire publication (a single issue).
- The number of levels and range of print circulations for each level will be determined each year based on the total number of entries submitted. The levels may differ from year to year.
- A separate category, based on format and not on circulation, is offered for newspapers.
- Digital member entries are divided into two categories: traditional paginated PDF format and content-driven websites.
- Entries are judged by two judges in each level/category with scores averaged to determine the winners.
- Magazines holding dual print/digital memberships may submit an entry for each category.
- Winners will be announced in October.
- The first-place winner in each category will receive an engraved Best in Class award. Frameable certificates will be presented for up to four runners-up.
Entry and Submission Details
- Cost for entry is $60.
- Magazines holding dual print/digital memberships will need to process each entry separately.
- A digital entry for those holding dual memberships must be a content-driven website only (not a PDF).
- Print entries consist of the submission of two identical hard copies of one issue in order to have identical copies for each of the two judges.
- Digital entries consist of the submission of a URL from digital members.
- For 2023, entries can come from issues published since July 2022 through current issues.
- This includes issues dated as Spring/Summer 2022 or June/July 2022 (as long as the issue date range includes the month of July)
Deadline for entry: Friday, August 25, 2023
For print entries, ship two identical copies of a single issue to:
Randall House
ATTN: EPA Contest | Danny Conn
114 Bush Road, Nashville, TN 37217
615-361-1221, x316
Print submissions must arrive in Nashville no later than Thursday, August 31, 2023.
Questions should be directed by email to the Executive Director or call 1-888-311-1731.