Sidney Prize: An Award for Excellence in Writing
The University of Sydney has long offered literary prizes. They are open to students, staff and alumni of the University, as well as to members of the public. They are awarded for a range of different written forms including essays, poems and short stories.
Awarded by The University of Sydney’s School of English and Creative Writing, the Sidney Prize has a reputation for offering recognition to authors whose work is published in a major journal. A prize of $5000 is awarded to the first-place winner and two runners-up receive $750 each.
Overland Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize
The Overland Neilma Sidney Prize was established in 2007. It is supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation and seeks powerful and original short fiction themed loosely around the notion of ‘travel’.
The prize is open to undergraduates, postgraduate students, and anyone else who has published an essay or story in a literary publication during their studies. The prize consists of a cash award and a plaque. The judges are Julie Koh, Alice Robinson and Mykaela Saunders.
Overland and the judges will be happy to discuss any queries about the competition at a later date. Alternatively, contact us directly at [email protected].
Hillman Prizes for Journalism
The Hillman Prizes honor the legacy of Sidney Hillman, an immigrant who dedicated his life to a “better America.” He believed that a free press was essential to a fair and equal society and sought to honour journalists who illuminate the great issues of our times — from the search for a basis for lasting peace to the need for better housing, medical care and employment for all people, to the promotion of civil liberties, democracy and the battle against discrimination of all kinds.
This year’s award went to New York Times columnist David Brooks for his article “The Coddling of the American Mind,” which tackled the mental state that some students seem to seek — in the name of safety — from the possibility of microaggressions. The essay reveals that this state can lead to depression and leaves students unprepared for the real world.
Thomas Robinson Prize for Southern Literature
The Thomas Robinson Prize, named after the 19th-century poet who was born in Macon, Georgia, is awarded to writers who have engaged and extended the tradition of writing about the South. The prize is sponsored by Mercer University’s Spencer B. King Jr. Center for Southern Studies and is presented every spring.
Nikky Finney, who was born by the sea in South Carolina and raised during the Civil Rights, Black Power and Black Arts movements, is a poet, professor and author. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Southern Review and The Best American Poetry. She is a faculty member at Cave Canem and a founding member of the Affrilachian Poets. She also has taught at Berea and Smith colleges. Her books include “The Blue Mountains,” which won the 2014 Georgia Book of the Year; and “Stories for a Winter’s Night.” She is a contributing editor at The Southern Review and serves on the board of the National Endowment for the Arts.