The City of Long Beach was awarded five communications awards during the 2018 California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Conference in Santa Rosa, the city announced this week. The city received four Excellence in Public Information and Communications (EPIC) Awards, CAPIO’s top honor bestowed on public organizations.

“Our public information teams have demonstrated innovation, creativity, and passion in keeping our residents informed about city programs and services,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “I am proud of their work and know they’ll continue to implement creative strategies that help us maintain excellent community relations.”

The city’s #GoLongBeach Newsletter, which launched last year, won an EPIC Award in the Communications and Marketing Tools-Newsletter or Magazine category. The digital newsletter provides subscribers with updates on the city’s projects and initiatives.

Two awards in the Communications and Marketing Tools-Video Production (Live Streaming) category were given to the city, an EPIC award for its “Virtual Ride Alonglive stream with the Long Beach Fire Department and the Department of Financial Management Measure A Communications team, and the Award of Distinction for #EveryKitShouldHaveLB Facebook live stream in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications.

In the Graphic Design, Photography and Visualization category, the city received an EPIC award for its Economic Inclusion Infographics, a collaboration between the Economic Development Department, the Health Department’s Office of Equity, a City Management Assistant, and the City’s Graphic Designer, which helped unveil the existing economic and racial inequities in Long Beach to the Economic Development Commission, City staff, other community stakeholders, and Long Beach residents, according to the release.

The infographics are a part of the city’s Draft Blueprint for Economic Development (Blueprint) that focuses on advancing a 10-year vision of making Long Beach a City of opportunity for workers, investors and entrepreneurs, according to the announcement.

The city’s “Can Your Butts” (CYB) Campaign, developed by the Department of Public Works-Environmental Services Bureau, received an EPIC Award in the Communications and Marketing Tools—Marketing/Promotional category. The CYB program used branded public messaging and partnerships with local businesses to reduce cigarette litter in Long Beach’s major business corridors.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].