With the ever-increasing speed of technology, the world is becoming a shorter and smaller place. Long-form writing—essays, op-eds and books—stands athwart this trend, shouting stop, with the sidney prize awarded each year to writers of outstanding long-form work. The awards honor writers who are able to keep readers engaged with their subject matter, and they reward the authors for their rigor, dedication and insight.
The 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize is open to writers from anywhere in the world at any stage of their career. Judges Laura Elvery, Paige Clark and Michael Winkler screened over 400 submissions to select the shortlist of eight pieces for consideration. The judges chose a winner and two runners-up from this pool.
This year’s shortlist includes works about a range of themes and locations, but all of them were inspired by travel. The judges praised the writers’ ability to capture “the essence of a travel experience and evoke the senses and memories associated with it.”
As always, we have sought out work that challenges conventional wisdom, offers new perspectives or illuminates complex issues. The winning entry, “How States Get Behind on Income Taxes,” by Maya Srikrishnan and Ashley Clarke, is an in-depth investigation into a complex topic that affects many Americans. The authors spent a year investigating state data and interviewing low-income taxpayer clinic attorneys around the country. They also surveyed every state that taxes individuals, seeking to understand their collections practices and how to help people who cannot afford to pay.
Winners are selected by a jury of distinguished judges, and the winner in each category receives $5000 and their work published in Overland. The winners also receive the festival’s mesmeric swirl award, designed and handmade in Sydney by Louise Olsen of Dinosaur Designs.
The Hillman Foundation prizes journalism that illuminates the great issues of our time—from the search for a basis for lasting peace, to the need for better housing, medical care and employment security for all, to the promotion of civil liberties and democracy, and the battle against discrimination of all kinds. The prize is named in memory of Sidney Hillman, president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America labor union—a predecessor of Unite Here and Workers United, SEIU—and a tireless advocate for a better American society. The foundation’s board of directors includes former Amalgamated Clothing Workers president emeritus Bruce Raynor.
The prize was established in 2000 by alumnus Sidney Iwanter (B.A. ’71, History). Iwanter’s intellectual curiosity and desire to document the work of his teachers led him to secretly record Harvey Goldberg’s lectures while at UW-Madison. Iwanter’s gift of the lecture transcripts to the university helped create the Harvey Goldberg Center for Freedom of Expression. Iwanter’s prize celebrates the legacy of this spirit and the preservation of knowledge in an era of rapid change. It is awarded annually in his name. The prize also reflects his loyalty to high ideals.