Official Rules
Who can enter
Creators who live in Texas, or whose work is substantially made in or about Texas. Entrants must be 18 or older, or enter with a parent or guardian's consent. Shows and channels owned or produced by the organizer are not eligible.
Entry fees and deadlines
| Window | Ends | Fee per entry |
|---|---|---|
| Early | 2026-12-31 | $29 |
| Regular | 2027-01-31 | $49 |
| Late | 2027-02-14 | $69 |
| Rising Creator | 2027-02-14 | $19 |
Fees cover judging and administration. Entry fees are not refundable once judging begins, except where an entry is disqualified through the organizer's error.
How winners are chosen
Winners in each judged category are decided solely by a panel of judges. No element of chance is involved. Each judge scores each entry from 1 to 10 on:
- Craft — Production quality, editing, writing, delivery
- Originality — A voice or format nobody else is doing
- Texas connection — Made in, about, or for Texas
- Audience impact — Consistency, community, and reach for its size
The category winner is the entry with the highest average total score. Ties are broken by the highest average Craft score, then by a vote of the judging panel. Judges recuse themselves from any entry where they have a personal or business relationship.
Fan nominations and People's Choice votes do not affect judged results.
People's Choice
Voting is free and requires no purchase. Each verified email address may cast one vote per day during the voting window. Votes from automated tools, bought votes, or duplicate accounts will be removed, and entries that benefit from them may be disqualified.
Your content
You keep all rights to your work. By entering, you grant the Texas Creator Awards a non-exclusive license to show excerpts, your name, and your likeness to promote the awards.
Prizes
Category winners receive an award and digital winner badge. Any sponsor-provided prizes will be listed on the category page before entries close.