Queen City PR Awards

PRSA Charlotte 2026 QCPR Crown Awards

 
The Queen City PR Crown Awards are the Charlotte region's highest honor of public relations activities. It is awarded to practitioners who, in the judgement of other public relations professionals, have successfully researched, planned, implemented and evaluated communication campaigns with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness.The Queen City PR Awards will honor strategic PR campaigns in:

• Community Relations
• Content Marketing
• Corporate Citizenship
• Crisis Communications
• Climate Action & Environmental Sustainability
• Events / Observations
• Financial Communications
• Influencer Marketing
• Integrated communications
• Internal Communications
• Issues Management
• Marketing
• Most Effective Campaign on a $5,000 - $10,000 Budget
• Most Effective Campaign on a Shoestring Budget (Less than $5,000)
• Multicultural/Diversity and Inclusion Public Relations
• Public Affairs
• Public Service
• Reputation/Brand Management

Please note that our award categories are divided into three subcategories:

A. Business Products/Services
B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
C. Solo Practitioners

The following categories highlight communication tactics and will be evaluated based on the tactic's successful execution to reach/engage an audience and/or support successful outcomes of an overall campaign.  There are NO subcategories for these options.

• Paid Promotions
• Media Relations
• Featured Stories
• Executive Communications
• Social Media
• Influencer Marketing
• Best Use of AI
• Digital Platform
• Data Insights
• Websites
• Non-traditional Tactics
• Annual Reports
• Blogs/Vlogs
• Newsletters
• Single-Issue Publications
• Magazines
• Video
• Branded Content
• Podcasts

Campaigns: Who Can Enter

Public relations and communications professionals from across the Charlotte region are encouraged to submit work that was completed anytime from July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026. Entries should demonstrate outstanding skill, creativity and resourcefulness. The awards are open to corporate communications and marketing communications teams, public relations agencies, public affairs firms, investor relations agencies, publicists, nonprofits, PR educational professionals, government PR teams and solo practitioners based in the Charlotte Designated Market Area (DMA). Campaigns may be executed in markets outside of the Charlotte DMA, but the professionals who planned and executed the work must be based in the Charlotte Designated Market Area (DMA) or a member of the Charlotte PRSA chapter.

 

Individual Awards:
Click on the award below to submit an individual entry.

Pegasus Award: Given to an individual outside of the public relations profession who demonstrates superior knowledge and use of public relations for the betterment of our community.

Infinity Award: Given to a public relations professional whose character, career and service represent the highest standards and who excels in the practice and/or has accomplished an outstanding one-time achievement. 

Mosaic Award: Given to a public relations professional who greatly and consistently champions the diversity and inclusion cause through work in the PR sector. 

New Pros Award: Given to a new public relations professional and member who exemplifies
strong professional capabilities, leadership qualities, service to the public relations community and a respected character. PRSA members with a maximum of seven years of professional public relations experience qualify for this honor. 

Download Full Awards Information 

Fine print:

JUDGING
PRSA Charlotte is partnering to judge our 2026 campaign entries. This year's judges will use this rubric as a guide when evaluating each entry. PRSA Charlotte board of directors will select the recipient of this year's Pegasus Award, New Pros Award, and Mosaic Award, and past Infinity Award winners will select the recipient of the Infinity Award. When judging is complete and winners have been selected, finalists and individual award recipients will be notified.

NOTIFICATION OF AWARDS
When judging is complete and winners have been selected, finalists and individual award recipients will be notified. Anyone submitting an entry that is NOT submitted as a finalist, will receive the judges' feedback and scores after the QCPR event in November.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Public relations and communications professionals from across the Charlotte region are encouraged to submit work completed from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, that demonstrates outstanding skill, creativity and resourcefulness.

The awards are open to corporate communications and marketing communications teams, public relations agencies, public affairs firms, investor relations agencies, publicists, nonprofits, PR educational professionals, government PR teams and solo practitioners based in the Charlotte Designated Market Area (DMA). Campaigns may be executed in markets outside of the Charlotte DMA, but the professionals who planned and executed the work must be based in the Charlotte Designated Market Area (DMA) or a member of the Charlotte PRSA chapter. 

ELIGIBILITY
At least some part of the campaign must have occurred from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Programs tend to have better chances of winning near their completion, when evaluation against initial objectives can be measured.

ENTRY FEES AND DEADLINES
Call for entries opens May 20, 2026, and closes July 20, 2026, at 5 p.m. EST. Entries received by June 30, at 5 p.m. EST, will receive the Early Bird rate. All entry fees are below:

PRSA Charlotte Member (Early Bird): $150 for first entry; $125 for additional entries
PRSA Charlotte Member (after 5 p.m. June 30): $175 for first entry; $150 for additional entries

Nonmember (Early Bird): $225 for first entry; $200 for additional entries
Nonmember (after 5 p.m. June 30): $250 for first entry; $225 for additional entries