The City of Kannapolis was among 27 North Carolina jurisdictions to earn recognition in the North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C) 2025 Excellence in Communications Awards. The City of Kannapolis won three awards: first place in the category of Multi-platform Campaign for their Gem Theatre Renovation Campaign. Additionally, the City of Kannapolis won two second-place awards in the categories of Most Creative with Least Dollars Spent and Most Citizen Engagement, both for the Gem Theatre Renovation and Reopening Event.
The awards were announced on April 10, 2025, during NC3C’s annual conference. 179 award program entries from 47 different local government organizations were judged by professional communications peers from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.
“This year, we saw not only the highest number of award submissions we've ever received, but also a record number of municipalities participating,” said NC3C President Kaisha Brown. As competition grows each year, the level of skill and expertise needed to win these awards continues to rise. Every person who entered should be proud of their work. Whether it's managing communication during crises, producing compelling video and audio content, or using social media as a key community hub for information, government communicators in North Carolina go above and beyond to keep our residents informed and connected. On behalf of the NC3C Board, we send our congratulations to all of the winners.”
The City of Kannapolis received a first-place award for the category of Multi-platform Campaign for their Gem Theatre Renovation Campaign. Additionally, the City of Kannapolis won two second-place awards in the categories of Most Creative with Least Dollars Spent and Most Citizen Engagement, both for the Gem Theatre Renovation Campaign. The Gem Theatre recently underwent renovations to enhance the movie-goers experience, while still continuing to preserve the historical significance of the 88-year-old theatre. Over 700 people contributed to the Gem Theatre Fundraising Project by sponsoring a new seat, a marquee brick, or by purchasing one of Gem’s vintage seats. Hundreds of people attended the reopening of the theatre event, and the theatre continuously sells out monthly. The historic Gem Theatre is a staple in Downtown Kannapolis and serves as a place maker entertainment anchor in the revitalized downtown of Kannapolis.
About NC3C
The purpose of North Carolina City & County Communicators is to encourage professional development and networking among local governmental communications professionals. The organization was formed in March 2007, and consists of professional government communicators from around the state. For more information about NC3C, visit www.nc3c.com.