ARKAST Awards
The ARKAST Awards.
The ARKAST Awards recognize Arkansas shows, hosts, and producers each year. Anyone can submit nominations, the public votes on the finalists, and the winners are announced at the spring ARKAST in Northwest Arkansas.
About the Awards
About the awards.
The first ARKAST Awards ceremony was held November 14, 2024, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and the awards have run every year since. They exist so that a year of production work is recognized in front of the people doing the same work.
The awards run on community input. Anyone can submit nominations during the open nomination window. This year nominations open at ARKAST on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM. When the window closes, the finalists are announced and public voting opens, and the winners are announced at the spring ARKAST in Northwest Arkansas.
Year five changes how the categories are set. Every show competes for its pod's award, and the rest of the awards come from the nominations. A show has to be listed on the Podshelf to be nominated, and the nomination form is open from 7:00 PM on October 16.
Process
How the awards work.
Nominate
Pick a show on the Podshelf and say why it deserves an award. Self-nominations count. Nominations open October 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM and stay open until the board announces a closing date.
Finalists
The board counts the nominations for each show and reads the reasons, then announces the finalists for each pod award and for the awards set by the nominations.
Public vote
Voting opens for several weeks online. One vote per category, per person. Cast your votes here when the window is open.
Ceremony
Nominations open at ARKAST on Friday, October 16, 2026. Winners are announced at the spring ARKAST in Northwest Arkansas and receive a trophy on stage.
Categories
Award categories.
In 2026 every show on the Podshelf competes for the award for its pod, and the board sets the rest of the awards from what nominators say they would give a show an award for. A pod with too few nominated shows is combined with a related pod for this year.
TEN POD AWARDS
One award for each of the ten genre pods. You do not pick a category when you nominate. A nomination counts toward the pod the show already belongs to on the Podshelf.
SET BY THE NOMINATIONS
AWARDS YOU NAME
The nomination form asks what you would give the show an award for, with suggestions such as best host, best new podcast, best interview, and community impact. The awards nominators name most become the other 2026 awards, announced with the finalists.
Past Winners
Past winners.
The 2024 ARKAST Awards in Fayetteville were the first ceremony.
Past winners and finalists are listed here as each year's results are confirmed.
2026 Nominations
Nominate a show.
Nominations for the 2026 ARKAST Awards open at 7:00 PM on Friday, October 16. Any show on the Podshelf can be nominated, and each email address counts once per show.