Day: July 2, 2025

Sidney Prize is an annual literary award presented by the American Academy of Arts and Letters to writers whose works examine human condition. Awarded since 1958, this honor includes an additional $1000 stipend that assists writers with writing expenses; two honorable mentions also receive this prestigious recognition from this committee of distinguished writers and editors who vote on who should win it each year. The winner is determined by an independent committee comprised of prominent writers and editors and can count themselves among a long list of past winners. In addition to receiving a $1000 stipend, the Sydney Taylor Book Award winner also receives a gold seal and certificate from the Academy of Arts and Letters. The prize honors Australian journalist Sydney Taylor who founded the academy; this award recognizes outstanding literary works published within the last ten years across any genre or style. Academic prizes are generally given annually to recognize student achievements in specific units or programs of study. No application is usually necessary; students are nominated by faculty based on midyear and final year results for these prizes. Literary prizes require applications with written work submission for consideration. The University of Sydney People’s Choice award is selected through popular vote from amongst shortlisted titles for both Christina Stead Prize for Fiction and Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction shortlists, to be revealed at Sydney Taylor Book Award ceremony 2025. Our committee recommends winning titles to you for use in libraries, classrooms and homes alike. Hillman Foundation in the US honors journalists who practice investigative reporting and deep storytelling “in service to the common good.” Ronen Bergman and Mark Mazzetti won two 2025 Hillman Prizes: Ronen Bergman for Their Article in New York Times Magazine Entitled Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: Central America and its Emergence as a Crisis while Jennifer Gollan and Susie Neilson won for Their Piece on Canadian Arctic Military Listening Stations published by San Francisco Chronicle. The Overland Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is an annual contest hosted by Australian literary and cultural magazine Overland with support from the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, offering excellent short fiction of up to 3000 words related to travel themes. Creative, imaginative and literary interpretations are encouraged for this contest. The winner will receive $5,000 AUD and their story will be featured in Overland’s autumn issue; two runners-up will each be awarded $750 AUD. Entries can come from anywhere around the world at any stage in their writing career. Subscribers of Overland will enjoy a discounted entry fee of $12 AUD; non-subscribers will be charged $20. For more information visit the Overland website; judges for this year’s competition will include Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh; the shortlist will be revealed in September with winning entries being published online alongside autumn issue.