A sidney prize is a recognition for individuals and organizations that work to promote peace in the world. This prestigious award was created in 1923 in memory of the late actor and activist Sidney Hollander. It is presented each year at a ceremony held in Sydney. The prize carries a financial award as well as in-kind support from the City of Sydney.
There are many different types of sidney prizes, from literary awards to philanthropic grants. Some prizes are given to writers and journalists for pieces that explore social or political issues. For example, New York Times columnist David Brooks gives out the Sydney Prize each year to recognize the year’s best long-form essays. Past winners include Hilton Als writing for the New Yorker and Ed Yong writing for The Atlantic.
Other sidney prizes are dedicated to specific genres of writing. For example, the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is open to stories that feature a character whose experience or voice comes from a marginalised identity. This competition is run by the magazine Overland, and readers can enter at a special subscriber rate. If their submissions are considered for the prize, writers are asked to identify themselves as a member of that community or experience.
The Sydney Film Prize is awarded to the best film in the Official Competition at the annual Sydney Film Festival. The winner is chosen by a jury composed of filmmakers, industry professionals, and academics. The prize includes a cash award and a professional mentorship. In addition, the winning film is screened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.
There is also a variety of sidney prizes for research in various fields. For example, the Society for the History of Technology gives out a Sydney prize every year to honor a book in the field. The 2023 winner was Stephan Miescher’s A Dam for Africa: Akosombo Stories from Ghana. This prestigious award carries a $3500 cash prize and a plaque.
Another type of sidney prize is the Sydney UNESCO City of Film Prize. This is given to a NSW-based creative working in the world of short film. The winning filmmaker receives a $7,500 cash prize and a professional mentorship. The competition is open to film creatives, directors and screenwriters who have no more than five short film credits.
The MAK Halliday Postgraduate Research Prize is given by the University of Sydney’s Department of Linguistics to an outstanding postgraduate research student in the field of linguistics. It is named in honour of the founding professor of the department. This prestigious prize carries a $25,000 cash award and a plaque. The winner is notified in September. This award is based on the quality of the work submitted and the research contribution it has made to the field. The application process opens in July each year. The deadline for applications is in September.