Up Here won magazine of the
year at the National Magazine Awards. The
Walrus took home the most awards and the inaugural website of
the year award went to Dogsincanada.com. Check out the full list of
NMA winners.

Magazine of the year:
Up Here

The judging panel said: “Solid and accomplished, Up Here has real personality and shows a strong editorial hand. The degree of difficulty in finding the human and other resources to publish, print and distribute from the north only adds to the measure of the accomplishment here. It is distinctive, fresh and unpredictable with engaging and accessible content that crosses both disciplinary and geographical boundaries. Its commitment and passion are very evident-and contagious.”  (D.B. Scott notes that “In accepting the award, publisher Marion LaVigne said that she had told her staff she wouldn’t retire until they won magazine of the year. “I lied,” she quipped as she left the stage.”) The award comes just after Up Here lost its inflight distribution deal with airline Canadian North.

Website of the year:
Dogsincanada.com

Best visual design (website):
lametropole.com and Urbania.ca

Best magazine cover:
Gold: Report on Business (Dominic Macri, art director)
Silver: Prefix Photo (Underline Studio)

Best single issue:
Gold: The Walrus (October 2009; John Macfarlane, editor; Brian Morgan, art director)
Silver: Toronto Life (February 2009; Sarah Fulford, editor; Jessica Rose, art director)

Best New Magazine Writer: 
Danielle Groen for her article “This Is Your Brain on Love” in Chatelaine.

Best New Visual Creator:
Byron Eggenschwiler for his illustration of “Tales from Riverheights Terrace,” which appeared in Swerve magazine.

The NMA website offers an award count: