In an age of short attention spans and clickbait headlines, long-form journalism and thought pieces remain effective tools for informing, inspiring, and challenging readers. These pieces require a significant amount of research and writing time, but they can pay off with prestigious awards. One such award is the Sidney Prize, a monthly award that honors outstanding journalism published in print and online. Anyone can nominate work by the last day of each month. The winner will receive a $500 honorarium and a certificate designed by New Yorker cartoonist Edward Sorel.
The Hillman Foundation is a left-of-center organization that annually awards monetary prizes to writers and public servants. It was founded in 1946 and is named after the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America president Sidney Hillman, a predecessor of Unite Here, Workers United, and SEIU. The foundation is currently led by former Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America president emeritus Bruce Raynor.
A renowned author has written an outstanding scholarly book on the history of technology, earning a Sydney Prize for her efforts. The book, titled The Unseen: A Social History of the Industrialization of Nature and National Identity in Cold War Canada, examines how technological failures redefined natural and national identities in postwar Canada. Clare Jackson studied history as an undergraduate at Sidney and returned to the College to complete a PhD on royalist ideas in late-seventeenth century Scotland. She is now Senior Tutor at Trinity Hall and Director of Studies in History.
In addition to the Sidney Prize, there are many other literary prizes available for authors of quality writing. For example, the Overland Neilma Sidney Prize, which is hosted by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation and Overland Magazine, offers $10,000 and publication in both online and print to a winner, as well as $5,000 for each runner-up. This competition is open to both fiction and nonfiction writers, and entries are judged by a panel of three experts.
Whether you are an aspiring writer or simply interested in the world of literature, it is important to understand how these prizes operate so that you can make informed decisions about which ones are right for you. The various types of sidney prize are all different, and each comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. It’s also a good idea to look for sidney prize that recognize those who are working to bridge the gap between art and physics, or connecting literary works to science. In this way, you can be sure that your submission will be taken seriously by the judges. The judging process is rigorous and fair, so it’s worth taking the time to prepare your application well in advance. This will ensure that you have a strong chance of winning. The judging process takes place in November and December each year, with the results announced shortly afterwards. The winners will be notified by email and will need to provide their bank details in order to claim the prize.