IN ITS 103RD YEAR OPERATING as the nation’s first state magazine, New Mexico Magazine earned 18 honors at the International Regional Media Association (IRMA) Awards held in Calgary, Alberta, on September 18. The magazine’s haul for issues published in 2025 includes finalist status as Magazine of the Year for the second year running.

Editor in chief Steve Gleydura says the awards show “an incredible recognition of the talent, creativity, and hard work that goes into every issue of New Mexico Magazine. Everyone on our team is committed to telling the stories of New Mexico in ways that inform, inspire, and celebrate this enchanting state.” He adds, “The awards are a fitting tribute to the leadership of CEO/Publisher Edward Graves as he wraps up a decorated career in publishing.” Graves is stepping into retirement this fall after taking the helm as CEO/publisher of the magazine in 2020.

For magazines with circulations of 35,000 or more, New Mexico Magazine netted Gold awards in several categories, including General Feature, Reader Service, Brand Innovation, and Newsletter (sign up for the free weekly newsletter at nmmag.us/newsletter). Silver medalists include John McCauley and Karin Eberhardt for Art Direction and Cover, and Molly Boyle for Travel, Recreation, and Art and Culture feature-writing categories. The magazine team placed in most categories, winning a number of Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Merit awards in writing, design, editorial, and photography.

Dive into the list of award winners here:

Magazine spread titled “A Tale of Two Crops” with photos of plants, hands harvesting, and a person in a field.

GOLD

General Feature – “A Tale of Two Crops”

Magazine spread with the title “Flight of Fancy” next to a bronze winged sculpture in an airport.

GOLD

Reader Service – “Flight of Fancy”

Collage of Route 66–themed magazine pages, website screens, and branded merchandise.

GOLD

Brand Innovation – Route 66 Centennial campaign

Tablet display showing a Route 66 New Mexico Magazine newsletter with a nighttime downtown street scene.

GOLD

Newsletter – Route 66

SILVER

Overall Art Direction – John McCauley and Karin Eberhardt

July 2025 cover: The Wildlife Issue

SILVER

Cover – The Wildlife Issue, July 2025

Magazine spread titled “Drop by Drop” featuring close-up wetland rocks on one page and a winding creek in a forested valley on the other.

SILVER

Nature and Environment Feature – “Drop by Drop”

Magazine spread showing a historic Mogollón street on one page and a decorative cemetery cross on the other.

SILVER

Travel Feature – “Frontier Spirits”

Magazine spread titled “Art” showing a person presenting a woven textile and a large U.S. flag.

SILVER

Art and Culture Feature – “Help Yourself”

Magazine spread with large “Art City” title over a nighttime scene of illuminated trees and outdoor sculptures.

SILVER

Recreation Feature – “Art City, Here We Come”

A stylized illustration depicting diverse people enjoying nature, including fishing, birdwatching, playing music, and exploring.

SILVER

Spot Illustration – Valles Caldera, April 2025

Magazine spread featuring a nighttime state fair scene with bright rides and crowds.

BRONZE

Art Direction of a Single Story – “The Fairest of Them All”

Two covers for a 2025 artist calendar featuring colorful New Mexico landscape paintings.

BRONZE

Best Print Calendar – New Mexico Magazine Artist Calendar

Magazine spread with a wide grassland scene featuring an outdoors person walking through tall grasses.

BRONZE

Photo Series – “The Crown Prince”

Magazine spread titled “Mysteries & Legends” with an illustration of a veiled figure facing a seated child.

BRONZE

Illustration – “Mysteries and Legends”

Magazine spread titled “If These Walls Could Talk,” showing a historic building beside an old parade photograph.

MERIT

Historic Feature – “If These Walls Could Talk”

Magazine spread with a wooden-framed mirror showing a person’s reflection beside the title “Self-Portrait in a Complex Mirror.”

MERIT

Portrait Photo – “Self-Portrait in a Complex Mirror”