The Sidney Prizes

The Sidney Prizes recognise outstanding writing in a wide range of subject areas. These prizes are awarded based on their originality, depth of research and the way in which they shed light on an important issue or debate. They are named after a famous Australian or international figure who is well known for their contribution to the arts, sciences, social sciences or humanities.

This award honours an outstanding Australian work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry by a writer who has demonstrated an extraordinary degree of literary talent and achievement in the previous year. The winner will receive a cash prize and a personalised trophy.

For the best magazine essay of 2014, we are proud to present a Sidney Award to George Packer’s superb profile of Angela Merkel in The New Yorker. This is not just a portrait of a leader; it is an attempt to capture the essence of a whole political system, its ideals, its strengths and weaknesses. Packer has succeeded brilliantly, and this is a significant addition to the literature of leadership.

Each year the Sydney Peace Foundation honours a nominee who promotes “peace with justice”. This year, the prize was awarded to the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, Patrisse Cullors and Alicia Garza, for their tireless work in support of civil and human rights, community organisation and non-violence.

Since 1950, the Hillman Foundation has honoured journalists whose pursuit of investigative reporting and deep storytelling fosters socially-conscious journalism. The 2024 Hillman Prize was awarded to reporters Robert Fife and Steven Chase for their story “Foreign Interference: How Canada’s Government Defended China’s Interests in Our Politics.”

The Overland Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize rewards an outstanding short piece of original fiction written loosely around the theme of travel. This year, the judges (Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh) were impressed by submissions that offered a fresh perspective on a range of global issues.

The Overland Neilma Sidney prize is open to all Australian writers, with a special offer for Overland subscribers. To enter, simply take out a new subscription to Overland at the special subscriber rate and then submit a short story of up to 3000 words on a nominated topic. The entry fee for this year’s prize is $40. The full shortlist will be announced in Overland 107, out soon. The winners will be notified in early November. Please note that you must sign the Copyright Release Form (pdf, 37KB) when submitting your work. You must also provide a copy of your signed form when you pick up your prize. If you have any questions, please contact the Overland team. Thanks! We can’t wait to read your stories.

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