The Sidney Prize, named after the 19th-century American philosopher and Phi Beta Kappa member, is a prestigious award for national distinction in scholarship and undergraduate teaching. It is one of the Society’s highest awards, and it recognizes a single scholar in a field of knowledge who has demonstrated exceptional achievement and leadership. The winner receives a cash prize of $50,000. The prize is presented at the Society’s Triennial Council meeting. Nominations are published a year and a half prior to the Council meeting in The Key Reporter, the General Newsletter and on the Society’s website.
Sydney Prize is the title of an award given to a book that has achieved high marks in a number of literary awards and competitions. It is also a nickname for the city of Sydney, Australia. Several books have won the prize in different years. The award has been given since 1985 and is a highly sought-after prize in the literary world. It has become one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world and it is awarded by a panel of judges composed of representatives from various publishing houses.
In the words of AJL Editor-in-Chief, Scott Abramson, “The Sydney Taylor Book Award is the most important prize in the history of the Australian children’s literature industry. Its influence extends far beyond the borders of this great nation and the winners of this coveted title are held in the highest regard by those who work in the industry. The committee has always been adamant that the winner of this prize is not only the best book of the year, but a book of the highest quality that will serve as an inspiration to others.”
The annual Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize seeks outstanding original short fiction of up to 3000 words themed loosely around the notion of travel. The first prize is $5000, with two runners-up receiving $750 each. This year’s prize was judged by Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh. The winning story, ‘Who Rattles the Night?’, will be published in Overland’s autumn 2024 print edition. The runners-up will have their stories published online.
The judging process for the Prize is rigorous and confidential. The judges are selected annually from a wide range of literary, cultural and academic backgrounds. In deciding the winner, the judges take into account literary merit, commercial appeal, the degree of innovation and creativity displayed in the work, and the degree to which it has made a contribution to Australian short fiction. The judges are committed to ensuring the integrity of the judging process. The Prize is administered by the Overland editorial team, and is funded by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation.