From civic journalism to food coverage to design, we’re very excited about the CRMA nominations this year.
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Three of our covers from 2025 that were nominated for a CRMA this year
We’re thrilled to report that Philadelphia magazine has received 19 nominations in the 2026 National City and Regional Magazine Awards. The annual City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) competition, held in conjunction with the Missouri School of Journalism, honors journalists, design creatives, and staff members at city/regional magazines across the country.
The breadth of nominations showcases the wide scope of work the Philly Mag team produced in 2025, spanning nearly every category — from photography and spread design to civic journalism and food writing.
Winners will be announced the first weekend in June, at CRMA’s 50th annual conference in New Orleans. But it’s an honor just to be nominated, so let’s bask in the glory of our finalists, shall we?
Among the highlights of this year’s nominations, Jen Kinney and Tom McGrath both earned recognition in Essays/Commentary/Criticism for “Stumbling Blocks” and “Surviving Trump,” respectively — a strong showing for the magazine’s voice-driven work. Our accountability reporting also stood out, with David Murrell’s “Highway to Hell” and Ben Seal’s “The Climate Crisis Is Here” both earning nominations in Civic Journalism.
In the world of Foobooz, Jason Sheehan received a nomination for Food or Dining Writing, with work including “Piece by Piece” (about Jesse Ito) “Hunger Pangs” (Phila and Rachel Lorn) and “Every Meal a Story” (review of Honeysuckle). And food editor Kae Lani Palmisano received two nominations as well, for her work on October’s Delco dining package and November’s “Shaking Things Up” on Philly’s cocktail scene.
Sandy Hingston was recognized with a nomination for the Herb Lipson Award for Column Excellence for her sharp, thoughtful pieces “Weird New World”, “Make America Kind Again”, and “Liberation Day”. Meanwhile, Ben Seal and Sandy Smith’s “The Great Philly Sticker Shock” earned a nomination in Reader Service, while Victor Fiorillo’s “Live Aid, Four Decades Later” was recognized in Leisure/Lifestyle Interests. The magazine’s Summer/Fall 2025 issue of Philadelphia Wedding was recognized in the Ancillary Publication category. And Philadelphia‘s September issue earned a nod for Excellence in Writing.
Philly Mag’s art and design made a major showing as well. Dina Litovsky was nominated in Photography for “A Night to Remember,” her evocative photos of Pennsbury High School’s epic prom. We also received nominations for Spread Design, Illustrations and Graphics, and Cover Excellence.
And finally, Philadelphia magazine was also recognized for “General Excellence” and “Excellence Online.” Philly Mag’s 19 total nominations place it among the most recognized publications this year.
“I just couldn’t be prouder of this team — their hard work, their creativity, their talent, their dedication,” says editor Christine Speer Lejeune. “I see what they are capable of every single month, of course. But it’s truly gratifying to know that other people also see it, appreciate it, celebrate it.”
A heartfelt congratulations to our fellow nominees (see the full list of finalists here). We’re grateful to be in such fantastic company.
Full List of Philly Mag’s CRMA Nominations for 2026
Essays/Commentary/Criticism
Tom McGrath: “Surviving Trump”
Jen Kinney: “Stumbling Blocks”
Food or Dining Writing
Jason Sheehan: “Piece by Piece”; “Hunger Pangs”; “Every Meal a Story”
Herb Lipson Award for Column Excellence
Sandy Hingston: “Weird New World”; “Make America Kind Again”; “Liberation Day”
Excellence in Writing
Philly Mag’s September 2025 issue
Spread Design (Circulation more than 33,000)
Justin James Muir (photography), Jamie Leary (design) and Jason Sheehan (writing): “Piece by Piece”
Photography
Dina Litovsky: “A Night to Remember”
Illustrations and Graphics
“Make America Kind Again”; “Best of Philly”; “Pressure Points”
Cover Excellence (Circulation more than 33,000)
Philly Mag’s March, July, and September issues
Reader Service
Ben Seal and Sandy Smith: “The Great Philly Sticker Shock”
Leisure/Lifestyle Interests (Circulation more than 33,000)
Victor Fiorillo: “Live Aid, Four Decades Later”
Food or Dining Feature Package (Circulation more than 33,000)
Kae Lani Palmisano: “Delco”
Kae Lani Palmisano: “Shaking Things Up”
Civic Journalism
David Murrell: “Highway to Hell”
Ben Seal: “The Climate Crisis Is Here”
Special Issue
“Best of Philly” (August)
Ancillary Publication
Philadelphia Wedding (Summer/Fall)
Online Excellence
phillymag.com
General Excellence 3 (Circulation more than 33,000)
Philadelphia magazine