The society offers a number of literary prizes for written work on selected topics. The awards are open to members and non-members alike. All written submissions must be accompanied by an application and, if published, must carry a Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award seal (pdf, 61.5KB). Prize winners are announced each year at the Triennial Council Meeting and in the Key Reporter. All nominations must be made by a Phi Beta Kappa member.
In this era of zippy, short-form journalism, the Sidneys honor long-form magazine essays with narrative drive and social impact. They are intended to celebrate the virtues of quality writing in all its forms, and not just those that appear in The New York Times. Hilton Als and Ed Yong, both winners in 2020, wrote pieces that exemplified these qualities and made us proud to be journalists.
This prize was established in 1989 by a gift from Mrs. Robert M. Iwanter in memory of her brother, the late Philip Sidney Ardern, Professor of English at Auckland University College. It aims to stimulate interest in the study of Old and Middle English, although its scope is wider than this. It is a biennial prize with a sum of $500, and the winner receives a medal.
Molecular biologist Sidney Altman shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Thomas R. Cech for discovering that RNA, long known to carry genetic codes between parts of a cell, also acts as an enzyme in enzymatic chemical reactions within cells. The discovery revolutionised scientific research and opened the doors to new fields of knowledge and technology.
Named in memory of beloved Dartmouth professor Sidney Cox, the prize celebrates students’ efforts to create a “bella moment.” This informal ceremony resembles the weekly gatherings of Professor Cox’s undergraduate students at his home for discussion and brownies.
Overland magazine’s Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is given for the best piece of short fiction, up to 3000 words, themed around the concept of travel. It is open to writers nationally and internationally, at any stage in their careers. The first prize is a cash award of $5000, and two runners-up receive $750 each. The winning story will be published in Overland online.
The competition is open to all members, but entries that take up a marginalised or vulnerable identity are encouraged. Writers can opt to self-identify when submitting their entry, and our judges will note this in their consideration of the piece.
Overland’s 2023 winner was Annie Zhang for her story ‘Who Rattles the Night?’, which describes the experiences of a couple who move into an old house on unceded Wangal land. The prize was supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation. To enter the next competition, take out a new subscription to Overland at the special subscriber rate. Subscribers can also participate in our annual survey of Australia’s best short stories. You can read the winning story here. The next competition opens in spring 2023. For more details, click here.