2026 Telly Award goes to CULTURA

PORTALES, N.M. – Aug. 24 – CULTURA, a locally produced series from KENW PBS New Mexico at Eastern New Mexico University, has won a 2026 Silver Telly Award for Best Cultural Documentary Series.

The category included national, international and regional entries, making the recognition especially meaningful to the KENW team. For a locally produced series, the award reflects the strength of the stories being told across New Mexico and the work of the KENW team in bringing them to audiences.

But the real award is knowing that pieces of New Mexico history are being preserved on film for generations to come.

From “I Have a Dream for Clovis,” which tells the remarkable story of Mrs. Pollard and her connection to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to “Scorched Earth” and the many communities and voices documented across New Mexico, every episode has been built around one belief: New Mexican stories matter. Through compelling interviews, extraordinary food, local talent, and visually stunning

imagery, CULTURA showcases the people, landscapes, heritage and history of New Mexico.

We are incredibly proud of what our team at KENW PBS New Mexico has accomplished and grateful to every person who trusted us with their story, opened their home, shared their history or stood in front of our cameras.

• Executive Producer: Porfirio Delgado
• Writer, Producer and Director: Pablito Herrera
• Technical Director and Producer: Allan Crawford
• Narrator: Geni Flores
• Assistant Producer: Karina Hernandez
• Assistant Director: Cade Cameron
• Production Assistants: Dave Asplund and Isaac Victory
• Audio Engineering: Mickey Morgan, Shannon Hearn and Manny Martinez

Special thanks to Eastern New Mexico University for making dreams come true.

We’re just getting started.

The full YouTube playlist of CULTURA episodes is available here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe8UnIbI4zsx8rwOXkdJEz8C7STj2f44I

The KENW PBS New Mexico YouTube page is available here:

https://www.youtube.com/@KENWPBS

CULTURA was created to tell the stories of New Mexico with depth, dignity and cinematic attention. These are stories about our people, our history, our struggles, our traditions, and the places that shaped us. Our mission is to celebrate and share the richness of New Mexico’s Hispanic culture and history, as well as the communities that make the Land of Enchantment unique. CULTURA highlights the diverse traditions and artistry found across New Mexico while exploring the connection between culture and the landscapes that shape the region. Through these stories, the series seeks to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of New Mexico’s cultural heritage.

The significance of the recognition extends beyond the award itself. According to The Telly Awards:

“The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. Founded in 1979 to honor local, regional and cable television commercials, with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after, the award has evolved with the rise of digital video to include branded content, documentary, social media, immersive and more. The Telly Awards today celebrates the best work in the video medium in an exciting new era of the moving image on and offline. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving over 13,000 entries globally from 6 continents and all 50 states, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies and publishers from around the world.”

Source: The Telly Awards, “About The Telly Awards,” tellyawards.com.