The First Annual Creative League Awards
Celebrating the Lynchburg Region’s Creative Excellence
Join us on October 9, 2024, for the inaugural Creative League Awards, an event dedicated to recognizing the exceptional work of creative professionals in the Lynchburg region. This prestigious awards show will highlight the finest talents in art, design, advertising, marketing, and more, chosen through a rigorous juried competition held throughout Summer 2024.
The awards ceremony will be hosted by the Creative League of Lynchburg and the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, taking place at the elegant Academy Center of the Arts lobby and terrace. The awards show will be approximately two hours and will feature the presentation of category awards, People's Choice Awards, Best In Show Awards, time for mingling and brief remarks. Light hors d'oeuvres and drinks are included in your registration fee. Beer and wine will be available for purchase during the event. For the awards show, business formal dress is encouraged! Think red carpet.
Submissions will open HERE on June 15, 2024.
Awards Show Registration Opens: Aug. 15, 2024.
Why the Creative League Awards?
We have a growing and vibrant community of professional creators in the Lynchburg Region and they deserve to be recognized for their work! The Creative League Awards aim to:
- Honor the outstanding work of local creative professionals and their companies.
- Foster a vibrant community where creatives can engage, grow, and find inspiration.
- Establish this event as the flagship celebration of the Creative League of Lynchburg, extending our reach to more creators as a source of community and friendly competition.
Who Should Compete in the Creative League Awards?
- Creative professionals who live and/or work in the Lynchburg region.
- A company's or nonprofit's creative departments or teams.
- Local students learning in creative fields.
- You've recently completed a major project, campaign, or artistic work and want to receive feedback.
- Artists, photographers, writers, marketers, producers, musicians, and more!
Juried Categories
Creative professionals are invited to submit their work in the following categories:
- Fine Art: Includes paintings, murals, architectural design, drawing, sculpture, pottery, textiles, and more.
- Illustration: Digital or print illustrations for publications, books, websites, apps, or other mediums.
- Writing: Encompasses copywriting, creative writing, PR, journalism, poetry, and more.
- Radio & Audio: Features radio shows, podcasts, original music, jingles, and productions.
- Advertising: Covers all advertising mediums such as print, digital, billboards, commercials, and UGC content.
- Photography: Original photography in digital or film, whether professional or artistic.
- Videography: Includes short-form videos, trailers, movie clips, professional videos, and more.
- Digital & Social Media: Encompasses digital or social campaigns, posts, social media presence, and local influencer accounts or platforms.
- Graphic Design: Covers branding, typography, style guides, publications, flyers, icons, digital graphics, and other graphic work.
- Print Design: Includes magazines, newspapers, posters, books, packaging, and other printed materials.
How will my work be judged?
A panel of judges with experience in your submission category will review your submission and grade it on a variety of factors from creativity to content, outcomes, quality/effort, and other considerations. The same rubric will be used across all categories to ensure all categories are graded equally. The highest total score will be used to determine the winner in each category and the single, overall "Best In Show" across all submissions.
Awards & Prizes
The judges may award the top scores in each category: gold, silver, or bronze! At the awards show, the judges will share the results of each category and present the winning competitors. There will also be two other major awards:
- The People’s Choice Award: the highest voted submission as rated by their fellow competitors and the public.
- The Best In Show Award: presented to the submission who received the highest overall score across all the entry categories.
Any ties will be broken by a vote of the panel of judges. The People’s Choice Award winner and the Best In Show winner will each receive epic bragging rights, an award, and $250 each in prize money!
Submissions and Fees
Competitors may submit to as few or as many projects as they wish. The submission fee per entry is $50. Students receive a 50 percent discount. Within each submission, competitors may submit the same work in up to 3 categories but they will only be eligible to win in a single category. Competitors may find that their artwork fits under several of the juried categories. In this case, we encourage the competitor to submit their work in the category that best fits their submission. The submission fee is non-refundable and must be paid at the time of submission. The submission period will be open from June 15-August 31, 2024.
Each submission also includes one complimentary admission to the Awards Show on Oct. 9, 2024.
Submission Criteria
To be eligible for the awards, competitors must be 18 years old to 118 years old and must live and/or work in the Lynchburg region. The Lynchburg region includes the City of Lynchburg and the four surrounding counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell. If you work in the region but live outside of the region you are still eligible to compete.
For submissions to be considered their work must have been completed within one year of the calendar deadline for submission: August 31. So, work will only be accepted that was completed between August 31, 2023 and August 31, 2024. Older work that is submitted will not be eligible for awards. We do this so that all entries will be fresh and unique!
Again, submissions must be of original work done by yourself or with a team. No stolen artwork or plagiarism will be allowed in this competition. Works of parody are acceptable, but must be distinguishable in their own right from what they parody. Competitors are reminded this is a competition primarily for professional work. The application review committee will review entries to determine eligibility. The judging panel also reserves the right to disqualify any entry.
Timeline
- Awards Show Night: Oct. 9, 2024
- Awards Show General Admission Registration Closes: Oct. 1, 2024
- Winners alerted and invited to attend the Award Show: Sept. 16, 2024
- Judging Period: Sept. 1-15, 2024
- General Admission Opens: Aug. 15, 2024
- Physical art pieces delivered to the Alliance M-F 8:30AM-Noon & 1-4:30 PM for judging: Aug. 1-15, 2024
- Submissions Open: June 15-August 31, 2024
Stay tuned for more details on how to participate, and mark your calendars for a night of celebration and inspiration as we honor the best in the Lynchburg Region's creative community!
Interested in Sponsoring the Awards Show?
We have several great opportunities to partner with us on this first-ever competition of its kind in the Lynchburg Region! Get excellent visibility and support our region's creative professionals and many other benefits. Please contact Heath Barret, Vice President of Membership Development, at hbarret@LynchburgRegion.org for more details.
Event Sponsors
Creative League Partner
Date and Time
Wednesday Oct 9, 2024
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EDT
- Awards Show Night: Oct. 9, 2024
- Awards Show General Admission Registration Closes: Oct. 1, 2024
- Winners alerted and invited to attend the Award Show: Sept. 16, 2024
- Judging Period: Sept. 1-15, 2024
- General Admission Opens: Aug. 15, 2024
- Physical art pieces delivered to the Alliance M-F 8:30AM-Noon & 1-4:30 PM for judging: Aug. 1-15, 2024
- Submissions Open: June 15-August 31, 2024
Location
Academy Center of the Arts
Lobby & Terrace
600 Main Street
Lynchburg, VA 24504
Fees/Admission
AWARDS SHOW ADMISSION
Contact Information
Have questions about your submission? Or the awards show? Please contact Ryan Weaks, Director of Marketing & Communications, Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, by email below.
Send Email
