Entries for the 2025 Awards are NOW OPEN!
CMAA Awards for Excellence, Innovation and Contribution to Media and Arts
The Excellence in Media Awards acknowledges the vision, passion, skill and effort of people and organisations seeking to share the hope of Jesus through media and the arts. The awards provide the opportunity to showcase and honour God’s provision and encouragement as we celebrate the stories and remarkable successes of those working in media and the arts.
Award entries close on Monday June 23rd, and award submissions are open to all CMAA Members and Associate Members. Not a Member? Find out more about Membership here.
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The Awards Categories have adjusted in 2025, in response to feedback and suggestions from our community, however they still cover a variety of categories including radio, digital media, film TV, sales, fundraising, innovation, and community impact. An outline of the new categories and their criteria are as follows:
INNOVATION IN MISSION RESOURCING
This award celebrates individuals, teams, or organisations that have demonstrated ingenuity in aligning their resource-generation strategies with their mission—whether that involves leveraging technology, storytelling, partnerships, or unique campaign designs.
We seek to honour not only originality but also sustainability and deliver measurable success for both the media organisation and the client.
Eligibility:
- Open to sales, fundraising, peer to peer, start up etc who are CMAA member organisations
- Campaigns must have been executed, at least in part, during the qualification period: January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025
- Entries can be for an individual campaign or a series of campaigns for a single client
Submissions Requirements:
- Campaign overview (max 100 words) or 90 second video
- Examples of campaign materials
- Client testimonial (max 100 words)
- Key metrics and results
BEACON AWARDS
1x large market = Over $1M Annual Turnover
1x small market = Under $1M Annual Turnover
Celebrating organisations that lead with purpose and shine as leaders in innovative and meaningful community transformation.
This award celebrates ground breaking initiatives that advance the redemption and transformation of lives, society, and culture through Christian media and the arts. We seek to honour individuals, teams, or organisations that have demonstrated exceptional creativity and innovation in their approach to fulfilling CMAA's mission.
Eligibility:
- Open to individuals, teams, or organisations within CMAA member entities with an annual turnover of UNDER (small market) / OVER (large market) $1million in the 24/25 financial year
- Innovations must have been implemented or significantly advanced during the qualification period: January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025
- Entries can include new creations or significant improvements to existing products, ideas, or practices within the Christian Media and Arts industry
Submission Requirements:
- Innovation overview (max 500 words) or 90 second (max) video
- Detailed description of the innovation process and implementation
- Evidence of impact and effectiveness
- Two testimonials from beneficiaries or industry peers (max 150 words each)
- Supporting materials (e.g., videos, images, or relevant documents)
REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTION
This award celebrates individuals or teams within CMAA member organisations who have made an exceptional impact through their outstanding work, dedication, and service to the Christian Media and Arts community. We seek to honour those who have gone above and beyond their regular duties to contribute significantly to the industry's growth, innovation, or community support.
Eligibility:
- Open to any individual or team within a CMAA member organisation
- Nominees can be from any department or role, including but not limited to leadership, marketing, administration, HR, technical support, and volunteers.
- Contributions must have been made during the qualification period: January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025
Submissions Requirements:
- Nominee overview (max 100 words) or 90 second (max) video
- Detailed description of remarkable contribution(s) (max 100 words) or as part of abovementioned video
- Two testimonials from colleagues or industry peers (max 150 words each)
EMERGING TALENT
This award recognises an exceptional individual who has recently entered the Christian media and arts field and demonstrates outstanding potential as a personality, performer, or content creator. We seek to honour emerging talent who authentically connects with audiences and shows promise for significant growth and impact in Christian media.
Eligibility:
- Candidates must have started their on-air, online, or on-screen career within the past two years (from the date of nomination).
- The individual should be actively working in Christian media and arts, including but not limited to radio, television, podcasting, social media, or digital content creation.
**This person must have commenced their role without any previous considerable experience, and have commenced that role within the past two calendar years. The evidence presented must focus on the 2024 calendar year.
Submissions Requirements:
- Nominee's biography (max 100 words) or max 90 second video
- Portfolio of work (e.g., audio/video clips, social media content MAX 2 MIN)
- 2 x Organisation endorsements highlighting start dates and scope of role including 1 from the CEO
- Testimonials from audience & metrics, evidence of engagement demonstrating audience engagement and growth (if applicable)
COMPELLING CONTENT - AUDIO
(Eligible entries include radio broadcasts and podcasts)
This award recognises exceptional Christian faith-based audio content that captivates audiences and leaves a lasting impact. We're seeking standout moments, programs, features, segments, or program elements that transcend excellence and create a memorable listening experience.
Submissions Requirements:
- A brief description of the content (max 200 words)
- Target audience & Measurable outcomes or audience feedback
- A DOWNLOADABLE link to the audio content (full piece or a 2-minute highlight reel)
- Eligibility period: Content must have been broadcast or published during the 2024 calendar year - 31st March 2025 .
COMPELLING CONTENT - SOCIAL MEDIA
This award recognizes exceptional Christian faith-based digital content that engages, inspires, and impacts online audiences. We're seeking innovative, high-quality social media projects that effectively communicate faith-based messages and demonstrate measurable audience engagement.
Eligible entries include, but are not limited to:
- Blogs
- Social media campaigns (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok)
- Online videos (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo)
- Interactive digital experiences
Submissions Requirements:
- A brief overview of the digital media project (max 200 words) or max 90 second video
- Target audience and platform strategy
- Measurable outcomes, including engagement metrics and audience feedback
- Links to the digital content
- Two client or audience testimonials (max 250 words each) or max 60 second video each
COMPELLING CONTENT - SCREEN - DOCUMENTARY, ENTERTAINMENT, FACTUAL AND LEARNING
This award recognises outstanding Christian faith-based screen media content that demonstrates excellence in storytelling, production quality, and audience impact. We seek entries that effectively communicate faith-based messages through innovative and engaging audio-visual formats.
Eligible entries include, but are not limited to:
- Feature-length films
- Documentaries
- Television series or mini-series
- Web series
- Short films
- One-off television programs
- Animated productions
Submissions Requirements:
- Project overview (max 100 words) or max 90 second video
- MAX 2 MINUTE HIGHLIGHT REEL max 90 second video of heart behind the project and why it’s important?
- Audience metrics and distribution information
- Two viewer/critic testimonials (max 100 words each)
- Key art or promotional image (high-resolution JPEG)
- Qualification period: Content must have been released, broadcast, or published between January 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
Each category is judged by a panel of independent judges.
Candidates can be nominated by peers or can self-nominate, and multiple submissions are permissible.
Entries close 5pm (AEST) on Monday June 23rd. Finalists will be announced by August, and all winners will be presented at the annual CONNECT Conference Awards Dinner on Tuesday September 2, 2025 on the QT Gold Coast.