The University of Sydney Literary Prizes have an illustrious tradition. Each requires the submission of written work on a particular topic, often under an assumed pseudonym, with winners receiving cash or merchandise prizes; some prizes are open both to members and non-members of the Society.
Sidney Prizes stand in stark opposition to technology, demanding our attention. These annual awards honor some of the year’s finest long-form writing and thought. At a time of Twitter tweets and opinion pieces, these essays and books encourage us to step back and consider the big picture more fully – for instance Walter Russell Mead’s essay in American Interest called “The Once and Future Liberalism,” which compares two competing models of liberalism (small organization managerial state liberalism from 1890s America with modern neoliberalism).
The Hillman Prize, established to recognize journalist Sidney Hook and her groundbreaking investigative reporting in service to social justice issues. Nominations for this honorarium-plus-certificate award are accepted monthly; winners are announced every second Wednesday of that month.
No matter whether it be fiction, short stories or essays – works must demonstrate significant intellectual merit and general importance to be eligible for consideration for this prize. Open to both published and unpublished works alike, two runners-up will also be selected from among all participants; winners will be notified via email from the Society and invited to attend their annual award ceremonies.
Annie Zhang of unceded Wangal land was awarded this year’s Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize with “Who Rattles the Night?,” written as an adaptation of an Aboriginal folktale inspired by Nauruan prisoners’ suffering and published online by Overland magazine and printed edition. Madeleine Rebbechi came in second for “A Map of Underneath”, while Sheila Ngoc Pham won with “Whack-a-Mole”. Roberts & Holland LLP established this year’s Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize with prize funds dedicated in memory of founding partner David Holland’s prize fund created to provide opportunities for writers.