Southern Prize for Literature

Award Funds May Support

• Time Replacement and Support
  • Lost wages or reduced hours, childcare/eldercare coverage, household help during intensive drafting/revision periods
• Research, Access, and Archival Work
  • Travel (transportation, lodging, meals), museum/archive/library fees, copying/scanning, FOIA fees, database subscriptions, books, maps, materials, transcription, translation 
• Workspace and Equipment
  • Coworking/desk rental, internet, phone, printing, postage, computer repairs, software (Word/Scrivener/Adobe), backups/drives, recording gear for interviews
• Professional Services
  • Manuscript consultation, developmental editing, coaching, dramaturgical support, workshop/mentorship fees, sensitivity/subject-matter readers, legal consultations for permissions/fair use/questions of libel

Fellows are not required to complete or publish the manuscript during the award period.

Eligibility

Individual writers who:

• Are 18 years or older
• Are full-time residents of South Arts’ nine-state region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) and will remain a full-time resident for the duration of the award.
• Are not enrolled in a degree-granting program
• Are in the research or creation stages of an original literary work
• Are the sole author of the submitted work

Important Dates and Deadlines

• Applications Open: August 12, 2026
• Application Deadline: October 7, 2026
• Award Notifications: November 2026
• Final Report Due: June 30, 2027

South Arts reserves the right to adjust announcement dates based on application volume and review timelines. Incomplete or improperly submitted applications are ineligible and will not be considered.

Application Components

• Project Description – Include a 250-word project description that describes the book as succinctly and concretely as possible. Articulate the form of the project, the ideas it explores, and how it will ultimately manifest.
• Statement of Intent – Applicants submitting work in progress should include a brief, 500-word Statement of Interest addressing:
  • The current stage of the manuscript
  • Artistic questions or challenges being explored
  • How award supports would advance the work

This statement is used to contextualize the sample, not to evaluate feasibility or timelines.

• Work Samples – Submissions should be no more than 5,000 words from the work in progress and should demonstrate a distinctive voice, artistic intent, and command of craft. In‑progress submissions are evaluated with the same seriousness and discernment as completed work. Panelists are instructed not to penalize applicants for unfinished work, unresolved elements, or exploratory passages when those qualities are integral to the work’s developmental stage.

A $25 application fee is required at time of submission.

Review Criteria

Panelists assess writing samples based on:

• Artistic Excellence (50%)
  • Quality, originality, and strength of work sample
  • Command of language, form, and structure
  • Strength and clarity of the writer’s voice
• Artistic Merit (50%)
  • Artistic vision, originality, and risk‑taking
  • Evidence of a coherent and compelling creative direction
  • The work’s promise for continued development

Award Structure

Prizes will be awarded as follows:

• One (1) Winner will receive an unrestricted award of $25,000
• Two (2) Runners‑Up will each receive an unrestricted award of $10,000
• Through a partnership between South Arts and The Betsy Hotel, the winner and finalists of the Southern Prize for Literary Arts will each receive a sponsored residency in The Betsy Writers Room at The Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach. The residency includes:
  • Five nights and six days of accommodation in The Betsy Writers Room.
  • A $75 daily food and beverage credit for use during the residency.
  • Complimentary daily breakfast from a specially curated menu.
  • A safe and supportive creative environment designed for writers.
  • Opportunities to participate in community engagement and literary events, as mutually agreed upon.
  • Transportation support provided by South Arts for travel to and from Miami Beach.

Residency dates will be scheduled with each artist within one year of receiving the award, with rescheduling accommodated when possible in the event of illness or unforeseen circumstances.

In addition to supporting the residency experience, South Arts and The Betsy Hotel will collaborate on artist promotion, storytelling, and communications efforts to help elevate the work and visibility of the participating writers. All awards are intended to support the artist’s creative practice and may be used flexibly to advance works in progress, including time for writing, revision, research, and artistic development.

Reporting Expectations

Final reporting focuses on process and impact, not completion. Writers may reflect on:

• How the award supported their creative practice
• Progress made on the manuscript
• New directions or insights that emerged
• Next steps in the work’s development

Completion or publication of the manuscript is not required for final reporting. However, once completed, Fellows agree to credit South Arts in all marketing and publications. Literary Arts Fellows will have the option of being published in a special edition of the Oxford American Summer 2027 issue. They may also be invited to participate in readings, publications, or other engagement opportunities. Participation is designed to be supportive and developmental and may include excerpts or selected portions of a work-in-progress.

Who to Contact

Please contact grants@southarts.org for technical assistance with Salesforce or application issues.

For all other inquiries, Applicants are encouraged to contact Lisa Smalls, Director, Arts Access and Learning at lsmalls@southarts.org. You may also use this link to schedule a meeting.