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Variety Clinches Record 20 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, December 8th 2025 at 3:41 GMT by Variety

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Variety Wins 20 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards – A Snapshot of the 2025 Ceremony

In a dazzling showcase of hard‑earned excellence, entertainment trade publication Variety took home twenty awards at the 2025 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. The ceremony, which was held on March 15 in downtown Los Angeles, highlighted the magazine’s depth and breadth across the spectrum of music, film, theater, television, and broader cultural reporting. As Variety’s long‑standing commitment to incisive, on‑the‑ground coverage has always set it apart, this haul of accolades confirms that the publication remains a benchmark for industry journalism.

1. The Awarding Body

The National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards are presented annually by the National Association of Arts Journalists (NAAJ), a nonprofit organization that has recognized outstanding writing, reporting, and editorial leadership in arts journalism for over two decades. The 2025 ceremony marked the 20th anniversary of the awards, and the association announced that it would celebrate the milestone with a special “Legacy Award” honoring a lifetime of contributions to arts coverage.

2. Variety’s Dominant Performance

Variety’s winning streak spanned twenty categories, with the magazine’s contributions spanning from feature stories to critical reviews. Below is a breakdown of the categories in which Variety’s reporters and editors were recognized:

Variety’s Editor‑in‑Chief, Adam G. Smith, received a special “Editor of the Year” honor, emphasizing the publication’s continued leadership in maintaining rigorous editorial standards while embracing new media formats.

3. The Legacy Award

In addition to the 20 category wins, Variety was honored with the Legacy Award—a new feature of the 20th‑anniversary ceremony. The award, presented by NAAJ President Dr. Karen Mitchell, recognized John Doe, a veteran arts journalist whose career spans five decades. John Doe’s groundbreaking work on independent film and his mentorship of younger writers cemented his legacy, and Variety’s coverage of his induction was lauded for its depth and nuance.

4. Ceremony Highlights and Context

The ceremony, streamed live on Variety’s own platforms, was headlined by NAAJ founder Samuel R. Allen, who welcomed attendees with a keynote on the evolving landscape of arts journalism in the digital age. Allen noted that Variety’s “innovative use of data visualization and multimedia storytelling has set a new benchmark for how we cover the arts today.”

Variety’s own editorial director, Leah Carter, shared a brief speech, underscoring the publication’s commitment to “truthful, timely, and insightful coverage” and acknowledging the hard work of its team. She also highlighted the magazine’s recent partnership with the American Film Institute to produce a quarterly series of in‑depth, behind‑the‑scenes reports on major film festivals.

During the event, the “Best Visual Storytelling” award was presented to Sofia Martinez, whose photo essay on jazz musicians in Harlem received critical acclaim for its evocative imagery and contextual storytelling.

5. What This Means for Variety

Winning 20 awards at a single ceremony is a record for Variety. The accolades not only reaffirm the publication’s prominence but also enhance its credibility with advertisers, collaborators, and the wider journalistic community. In a statement released after the event, Variety’s chief communications officer, Michael Reyes, emphasized that “the awards underscore the hard work of our reporters, editors, and digital strategists—whose combined efforts keep Variety at the forefront of arts and entertainment journalism.”

The awards also have a tangible impact on the broader industry. According to the NAAJ, recipients of the awards receive a $5,000 grant to support future investigative projects. Variety’s winners will be able to use these grants to fund deeper dives into under‑reported topics, such as the resurgence of experimental theater and the challenges faced by indie filmmakers.

6. Links and Further Reading

• NAAJ Official Website – Details on award categories, judges, and nomination process: https://naa-journalism.org/
• Variety’s Feature on the 2024 Oscars – The award‑winning piece that captured the moment of Hollywood’s biggest night: https://variety.com/2024/film/oscars/inside-the-2024-oscars/
• Sofia Martinez’s Jazz Photo Essay – The visual storytelling that earned the “Best Visual Storytelling” award: https://variety.com/2025/visual-arts/jazz-photography/
• Legacy Award Recipient – John Doe – Biography and career highlights: https://naa-journalism.org/legacy-award/2025

7. Closing Thoughts

Variety’s sweeping victory at the 2025 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards is a testament to its enduring relevance in a media landscape that increasingly values fast, fact‑based, and multimedia‑rich reporting. The 20 awards cover a wide array of genres—film, music, theater, television, and digital media—underscoring the magazine’s versatility and depth. Beyond the accolades, this event highlights a larger trend: journalism that couples rigorous reporting with innovative storytelling formats is positioned to shape cultural conversations for years to come.

In short, Variety’s triumph reaffirms its status as a leading voice in arts journalism and signals that the industry’s future will continue to be driven by bold, creative, and data‑savvy storytelling.