The Sidney Prize honors an outstanding piece of undergraduate writing that most nearly meets the standards of originality and integrity set by Professor Sidney Cox. In an age of zipless journalism, the prize celebrates long-form articles that have narrative drive and social impact.
Awarded monthly, the prize aims to recognise journalism that illuminates “the great issues of our times.” These include the search for peace, the need for better housing, medical care and employment opportunities for all, and the fight against discrimination of all kinds. The Hillman Foundation, which awards the prize, was established in 1946 in memory of Sidney Hillman, president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America labor union and founder of Unite Here and Workers United, SEIU. The Foundation is led by former union leader Bruce Raynor and is dominated by left-leaning unions.
This year’s Sydney Peace Prize, which will be awarded in November, was won by the human rights movement Black Lives Matter, founded by Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi after the George Zimmerman acquittal in 2013. Previous winners of the prize have included Julian Burnside, Prof Noam Chomsky and Mary Robinson.
The 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize was won by Khloe Lizardo for ‘Who Rattles the Night?’, which was published in Overland. The judges praised the piece for its dazzling evocation of an Australian landscape and the strength of its characters. The winner will receive $3,000 and spend a day in the Herald newsroom, while two runners-up will each be awarded $500.
In addition to a cash prize, the winning essay will be published in The Sydney Morning Herald and will be entered into the National Library of Australia’s Readings Collection. It will be available in Australia-wide libraries as well as at the Overland bookstore.
Overland’s editor, Bevan Shields, said the prize aimed to recognise “a trailblazing NSW-based practitioner whose work stands for innovation, imagination and high impact.” It is open to NSW writers aged below 24, with the winner and runners-up receiving $1,000 each (courtesy of Dymocks Books and Tutoring) and a free Herald digital subscription.
The Overland Neilma Sidney Prize is supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation. This year’s judges were Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh. The prize is open to Overland subscribers, who can take out a new subscription and enter at the special subscriber rate. Subscribers can find the entry form here. The competition closes on Monday 2 October. The winner will be notified in mid-November. Read the full list of finalists here.