07/17/2026
EXCITING NEWS! The NYC PODCAST AWARDS ARE NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS.
full press release here: https://www.silver-nyc.com/nycpodcastawards/pressrelease
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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NO CATEGORIES FOR VIDEO. OR ADS. OR AI. THE NYC PODCAST AWARDS OPEN YEAR TWO WITH 54 CATEGORIES CELEBRATING AUDIO, MADE BY PEOPLE.
The LIBBY Awards return, expanding to 54 categories -- including five new ones, among them Best Field, Foley'd, or Found Sound -- with free-to-enter Creator awards and a public Audience Choice vote in every category. Submissions are open now at www.podcastawards.nyc.
NEW YORK, NY -- July 2026 -- While some in the podcast industry chase video feeds and AI-generated content, the NYC Podcast Awards and the audio communities they support are doubling down on the opposite. The awards -- featuring the iconic LIBBY statuette -- have opened submissions for their second season, with a live ceremony in New York City on March 12, 2027. Entries are open now at www.podcastawards.nyc and close November 15, 2026.
Organized by Emmy Award-winning Silver Sound, the NYC Podcast Awards launched in direct opposition to download-first culture, recognizing exceptional audio CRAFT, the CREATORS themselves, and CONTENT quality. The inaugural festival drew 100+ nominees from around the globe, crowned winners across 38 categories, and filled Bravo Studios in Manhattan during a raucous and joyful, admission-free winners' celebration.
"Year one of the NYC Podcast Awards proved there is an expansive world of extraordinary audio work that deserves more attention. Year two is about continuing to showcase the best work, known or unknown. Winning a LIBBY Award is a serious accomplishment, and winning shows will be amplified by our festival and the Silver Podcast Network."
-- Cory Choy, Festival Director
The LIBBY statuette, a vintage microphone reimagined as Lady Liberty, was designed by Zach Shukan of Omega Darling and has quickly become one of the most sought-after audio awards because of its unique look.
New for 2027 are five categories, including Best Field, Foley'd, or Found Sound -- a celebration of recording the real world in the age of AI -- along with Creator awards honoring immigrant creators and creators with disabilities, Best Community/Local Podcast, and Best Debut Podcast. That brings the field to 54 categories across the awards' three pillars -- CRAFT, CREATOR, and CONTENT -- with the Creator Award Hall of Fame permanently honoring excellence from historically underrepresented voices through categories named for figures including Hari Kondabolu, Debbie Millman, Noura Erakat, Joanna Fang, and Grace Lee Boggs. Creator Award entry is free with any paid submission. In addition, every category also crowns an Audience Choice winner, voted entirely by the public when nominees are announced February 4.
Accessibility remains central: entry fees are $75 for students, $100 for independents, and $150 for companies, with full-fee-waiver scholarships available by application (announced November 10, 2026). Eligible episodes are those created January 1, 2025 or later, and entry is open to creators worldwide.
KEY DATES
- Submissions open: NOW, at www.podcastawards.nyc
- Submissions close: November 15, 2026 (late entries accepted through December 1, 2026 at a 50% surcharge)
- Nominees announced + audience vote opens: February 4, 2027
- Nominees listening event: mid-February 2027, NYC
- Awards ceremony: March 12, 2027, New York City
ABOUT THE NYC PODCAST AWARDS
Founded in 2025 by Silver Sound, an Emmy Award-winning production studio in Manhattan's Flatiron District, the NYC Podcast Awards recognize excellence in audio storytelling while championing voices that have been historically underrepresented -- LGBTQ+, BIPOC, student, and international creators among them. No categories for video, ads, or AI. Just audio, made by people. Learn more at www.podcastawards.nyc.
Web version of this release: https://www.silver-nyc.com/nycpodcastawards/pressrelease
MEDIA CONTACT
Cory Choy, Festival Director
[email protected] | [O]: 212.757.5147
