Sarasota Magazine took home 23 awards at the 2021 Florida Magazine Association’s annual Charlie Awards. Winners were announced on Friday, July 16, at the annual banquet at The Westin in Sarasota. Sarasota Magazine was the top award winner among all magazines for number of awards, with 10 first-place Charlie Awards, 10 Silver Awards and three Bronze Awards.

The Charlie Awards recognizes the best in journalism, design and marketing based on a panel of out-of-state magazine and newspaper professionals and college journalism professionals.

This is the third year in a row that Sarasota Magazine has received the highest number of awards among all magazines at the competition.

“It was a challenging year for everyone, and we’re honored and proud to produce some of the best lifestyle content in Florida,” says Susan Burns, the magazine’s editor in chief. “We excelled in all categories; in particular, our magazine dominated the design awards. We are also very proud that for the last two years, our website was named. No. 1 in the state for our circulation size.”

“I am grateful to our employees, our freelancers, our advertisers and our readers for helping to us to create such wonderful stories about a place that we love,” says Burns.

And now, here’s a quick look at the long list of our FMA awards!*

10 Charlie Awards

Best Writing: Public Service Coverage, “A Line In the Sand,” Isaac Eger

Best Writing: Service Feature, “Open House,” Ilene Denton

Best Writing: Feature Headlines, Sarasota Magazine staff

Design Excellence: Traditional Illustration, “A Line in the Sand”

Design Excellence: Best Photography, Single Feature Image, “The IMG Effect,” Everett Dennison

Design Excellence: Best Design, Typography, “The Elephant Polka,” Gigi Ortwein

Digital Excellence: Magazine Website, SarasotaMagazine.com, Sarasota Magazine Staff

Best Advertisement: Client: Arts Alliance, Michael Cronin

Best Special Theme or Show Issue: “For the Love of the Arts,” Kay Kipling, Lauren Pritchard, Sarasota Magazine Staff

Best Overall: Design

10 Silver Awards

Best Writing: Feature, “I Will Never Go Away,” Elizabeth Djinis

Best Design: Use of Photography, “Greatest Shores on Earth,” “Journey to the End of Florida,” “Parks to Play In”

Best Design: Typography, “Coloring Her World,” Gigi Ortwein

Best Design: Cover, April, Gigi Ortwein

Best Design: Feature, “Ultimate Insider’s Guide,” Gigi Ortwein

Design Excellence: Best Photography, Photo Essay/Series, “Natural Wonders”

Design Excellence: Best Photography, Cover, May-June, Gigi Ortwein

Design Excellence: Best Traditional Illustration, Cover, September-October, Gigi Ortwein and Chanelle Nibbelink

Best Overall: Writing

Best Overall: Magazine

Three Bronze Awards

Design Excellence: Best Photo Illustration, “Go Figure,” Gigi Ortwein

Best Photography: Single Department Image, “Destined to Play,” Joe Lipstein (All Consumer)

Digital Excellence: Social Media, Megan McDonald (All Consumer)

*Unless otherwise indicated, the prize was awarded for our circulation category.