Preservation Durham Awards

Congratulations to our nine 2026 Preservation Durham award winners! Join us on November 17th, 2026, to celebrate our winners and reflect on the past year of great historic preservation work in Durham. This is a free event open to the public, with appetizers and drinks. There is a recommended donation of $50/group of attendees. You can register for this free event now!



Photos from Preservation Durham's 2025 Annual Awards Ceremony and Preservation Party

Preservation Durham Awards Qualifications


What are we looking for?


Nominations will be evaluated by committee on how well they address these five categories:

  • Community Support : Is there documented support for the nominee/project? Specifically reflected through letters of support, events, documented community input, etc.
  • Preservation Best Practices: Does the nominee/project illustrate best practices in preservation? Strict adherence to Secretary of the Interior's Standards is not required, but nominations should be distinguished as a preservation project vs renovation project; nominee should have a consistent preservation track record and demonstration of understanding and support for the mission of Preservation Durham.
  • If not a rehabilitation project, what was the intentionality behind the nominee in relation to preservation? How do they exemplify some form of preservation, whether through education, advocacy, or other relevant methods?
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Does the nomination reflect inclusivity? Does the nominee/project reflect the history, successes or stories of more than one group of Durham citizens?
  • Creativity and Innovation: Does the nominee/project illustrate a creative approach or new method of historic preservation?
  • Impact: This is the WOW factor. Does the nominee illustrate a remarkable transformation, long advocacy effort, or career? Does the nominee or project create a new standard for preservation in the future? Was the project groundbreaking? How does it change our understanding of preservation?

    We want the awards process to be as easy and accessible as possible, so the nomination process is just a short form below. Please share as much as you want/can. We will follow up with you directly after your submission with specific questions or requests for more information, if necessary.