As a result of generous bequests, a number of prizes are awarded each year for works of exceptional quality in dance, drama, music, opera and puppetry. Winners of these awards are recognised at the annual Sydney Prize ceremony, held in Sydney Town Hall.
The prize is named in honour of the late Professor Sidney Cox, who was a distinguished teacher of English and author of Indirections for Those Who Want to Write. The prize is offered annually to that piece of undergraduate writing which most nearly meets the high standards set by Professor Cox in his teaching and in his book. The work may be on any subject, and the prize is open to all undergraduates, whether majoring or minoring in English.
Supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the 2024 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize encourages excellent literary interpretation of any theme, loosely based on the notion of ‘travel’. The winning writer will receive $5000 and their short story will be published in Overland, with two runners-up receiving $750 each. The shortlist of eight was chosen by judges Patrick Lenton, Alice Bishop and Sara Saleh from a total of more than 500 entries.
Professor Edward Jones-Imhotep, a historian of technology at York University in Canada, has been awarded the 2022 Sidney Edelstein Prize for the best book published in the history of science and technology in the past five years. The prize is one of the most prestigious in the field and is presented by the Society for the History of Technology.
In a year when we are reminded that the world is a dangerous and frightening place, it might be worthwhile to take a step back from our everyday lives and read something that encourages us to think about the bigger picture. Walter Russell Mead’s article “The Once and Future Liberalism” in the American Interest certainly does that.
It might also be useful to read a piece that encourages us to take stock of our own political beliefs. This might be the case of John Luhrmann’s essay in The Australian – “In their new home, a couple learns to live with ghosts.”
The inaugural event of the Sydney Prize was held in 1927 and commemorated the life of the philanthropist Emilie Ann Consett Stephen. The prize was established to encourage the development of creative writing in Australia. It is offered for a play, short story or poem in any language by an Australian citizen or permanent resident. The entry should be written under a pseudonym and the work should not have been previously published or broadcast.
The Sydney Prize is an important part of the University’s cultural programming, alongside its music and film prizes. The Prize celebrates the value of the humanities and social sciences as a means of understanding contemporary global issues. It is also an opportunity for the University to acknowledge its alumni and friends who have made significant contributions to the arts and their communities.