2026 SEEN AWARDS
The Seen Awards are an opportunity for the community to highlight the people and platforms actively building Richmond’s creative and cultural landscape. We want to recognize those within the scene who are shaping the scene.
Each nominee will be considered once per category, regardless of how many times they are submitted and the form must be filled out completely.
While the community helps spotlight Richmond’s talent, a dedicated Seen Awards Committee will review all nominations and select the winners. This ensures that the awards honor both impact and vision across the city’s creative scene.
Nominees will be announced March 30, 2026.
The winner will receive a full interview, along with a crystal award known as the ‘SEEN’, sponsored by The Richmond Seen.
Six categories will be awarded at the inaugural 2026 Seen Awards. Each category will have six nominees. All rounds of Seen voting are conducted by secret online ballot, tabulated using Google Forms.
The Seen Awards: Criteria + Qualifications
Cultural Curators
The Seen Award
The Seen Award honors an individual or collective using media to document, uplift, and amplify Richmond’s culture. This may include a journalist, writer, podcast, media platform, content creator, or personality whose work keeps the city’s stories alive and evolving. These are the narrators of the now. The archivists of what matters.
Event of the Year
This award highlights independent music festivals, curated concerts or events that highlight other artists and creatives.
Visual Artist of the Year
Arts & Culture
This award recognizes a visual artist whose work has meaningfully shaped Richmond’s visual culture. From murals to exhibitions, photography to design direction, this recipient contributes to how the city sees itself and is seen by others.
Music
Sound of the City Award
The Sound of the City Award honors an artist, producer, DJ, or musician whose work has defined or shifted Richmond’s musical atmosphere over the past year.
Community
Community Spotlight Award
This award celebrates an individual or organization doing meaningful, hands-on work that directly serves Richmond communities. Whether through advocacy, programming, education, mutual aid, or cultural initiatives, this recipient is building infrastructure for the people.
Food & Drink
The Taste Award
The Taste Award recognizes a culinary creative shaping Richmond’s food narrative. This may include a restaurateur, chef, food historian, pop-up curator, or culinary innovator whose presence has meaningfully influenced the city’s dining culture over the past year.
The Richmond Seen is a vibrant digital news outlet dedicated to highlighting the Richmond scene—both the scene and the unseen. We cover everything from Hip Hop culture and culinary delights to the diverse stories and experiences that connect our community. Our mission is to celebrate the rich tapestry of Richmond’s creative energy and the voices that often go unheard. Support here.