Society Awards

Lecture Flyer, Media, and Collaboration Contests

Archaeological Institute of America

Deadline: December 1, 2026

Communicating information to the public about upcoming events is one of the main goals of each Society. There are several ways that a Society can share its programming with the community. These include the distribution of flyers, postings on social media (like Facebook and Twitter), interviews on local radio stations, spots on local television stations, and articles in local newspapers. Each year, the AIA rewards the Societies that produce the best flyer and the most impressive publicity in local or social media, and the Society that has the best collaboration with cash prizes. Full details on each contest are available below.

AIA Lecture Flyer/Poster Contest

The AIA encourages all its Societies to produce informative and creative lecture flyers or posters for Society lectures. The Society that produces the best lecture flyer or poster will be recognized at the Council Meeting at the Annual Meeting. There will also be a cash prize of $100.

Criteria for submission:

• Only flyers and posters from this calendar year will be judged.
• The flyer/poster must include:
  • The AIA logo (2006 approved version).
  • Full name of the AIA Local Society after the institute’s acronym (i.e., AIA-Local Society Name).
• The flyer/poster must be clear in communicating its intent to the audience.
• The flyer/poster must be readable from a distance.
• The flyer/poster design should combine both text and images/graphics that are dynamic and appealing.
• All images should be clear and sharp.
• Posters should communicate the vision of the AIA and the benefits of participating in an AIA Society.

AIA Local Society Publicity on Local or Social Media Contest

The AIA encourages all of its Societies to advertise events on local or social media. The Society that produces the most impressive use of such advertising will be recognized at the Annual Meeting’s Society Breakfast. The winning Society will receive a cash prize of $100 and the Society’s submission blurb (see below) will be posted on the AIA website.

Criteria for submission:

• Only publicity from this calendar year will be judged.
• The publicity must include:
  • Reference to the national AIA.
  • Full name of the AIA Local Society.
  • Accurate information about the event being publicized.
• The publicity must be clear in communicating its intent to the audience.
• Publicity should communicate the vision of the AIA and the benefits of participating in an AIA Society.

An application for this prize must include:

• A 150-word blurb about the publicity. This should include a brief description of the publicity, where and when it appeared, along with some indication of its effectiveness.
• A link to the publicity (on social media or on the website of a local radio station or television station or a copy of a print article).

AIA Local Society Collaboration Contest

The AIA encourages all of its Societies to collaborate with other groups to advertise and host events. The groups could be other AIA Societies, local colleges and universities, museums, other archaeology or classics organizations, and more. The Society that reflects the best collaboration will be recognized at the Annual Meeting’s Society Breakfast. The winning Society will receive a cash prize of $100 and the Society’s submission (see below) will be posted on the AIA website.

Criteria for submission:

• Only collaboration from this calendar year will be judged.
• The Society must have collaborated with at least one other organization to advertise or host an event with:
  • Reference to the national AIA.
  • Full name of the AIA Local Society.

An application for this prize must include:

• The name(s) of the group(s) that the Society partnered with.
• A 150-word blurb about the collaboration. This should include a brief description of how and when the Society collaborated with the group(s).

The AIA previously also awarded Societies for best website and ended this award in 2026.

Nomination Process

Please use the submissions forms above to enter your website, local Society media, and/or collaboration.

Recipients

2026 (publicity)

Edmonton

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2026 (website)

Los Angeles

Read more

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2026 (flyer)

New Orleans

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2025 (flyer)

Oklahoma

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2025 (website)

Santa Fe

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2024 (publicity)

Spokane

Read more

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2024 (website)

Washington, D.C.

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2024 (flyer)

Richmond

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2023 (website)

Los Angeles

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2023 (flyer)

Niagara Peninsula

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2022 (flyer)

Williamsburg

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2021 (website)

Orange County

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2021 (flyer)

Washington DC

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2020 (website)

San Diego

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2020 (flyer)

South Pennsylvania (Carlisle)

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2019 (website)

Hawaii

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2019 (flyer)

Washington DC

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2018 (website)

Vancouver

aiavancouver.wixsite.com/aiavancouver

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2018 (flyer)

Western Illinois

View flyer

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2017

North Alabama (flyer)

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2017

Toronto (website)

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2016

Boston (flyer)

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2016

Westchester (website)

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2015

Vancouver (flyer)

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2015

Southwest Texas (website)

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2014

Southwest Texas (flyer)

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2014

Tucson (website)

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2013

North Alabama (flyer)

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2013

Houston (website)

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2012

Central Florida (flyer)

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2012

Denver (website)

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2011

Vancouver (flyer)

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2011

San Antonio (website)

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2010

New Brunswick (flyer)

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2010

San Diego (website)

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2009

Central Missouri (flyer)

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2009

Hawaii (website)

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2008

Boston (flyer)

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2008

Cincinnati (website)

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2007

Western Illinois - Monmouth (flyer)

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2007

Rockford (website)

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