Atlanta, GA - South Arts is pleased to announce and relaunch its Southern Prize for Literature initiative in a new partnership with Oxford American magazine. The program’s expansion arrives with new guidelines and opportunities for writers across the region, alongside opening the next cycle of Literary Arts Project Grants to support literary publishers and small presses region-wide.
Since 1976, South Arts has championed the talents of Southern artists across disciplines, working to advance the vitality of the region through arts and culture. In 2024, South Arts expanded its programming to include literature through its Literary Arts Initiative, offering support to writers and literary organizations across its nine-state region: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Through its Literary Arts initiatives, South Arts encourages the creation and publishing of creative work, community engagement, and professional development, with particular emphasis on individual writers and small, independent presses that shape the cultural and historical fabric of the South.
Doug Shipman, president and CEO of South Arts, emphasized the role writers and independent publishers play in sustaining the region’s literary tradition. “The South’s literary tradition has always been shaped by writers and independent publishers who bring our communities and stories to life,” Shipman said. “Through the relaunch of the Southern Prize for Literature and our partnership with Oxford American, South Arts is supporting the people and organizations that ensure Southern literature continues to grow and evolve. Oxford American’s enduring commitment to the complexity and humanity of Southern storytelling makes them an ideal partner in this work.”
The Southern Prize for Literature awards will be offered annually with the winner receiving an unrestricted award of $25,000 and two finalists each receiving an unrestricted award of $10,000. All awards are intended to support the individual’s creative practice and may be used flexibly to advance works in progress, including time for writing, revision, research, and artistic development. Alongside the awards, South Arts has partnered with Oxford American magazine in publishing works from the awardees in a special edition of the magazine in summer 2027. Awardees may also be invited to participate in readings, publications, or other engagement opportunities. The Southern Prize for Literature is also supported by The Betsy Hotel.
“It’s a pleasure and privilege to collaborate with South Arts, honor artists living and creating in our region, and host them in The Betsy Writers Room. With South Arts, we’re committed to supporting creatives, at all stages of their careers, yet we hold a special place for those who have achieved the highest levels of excellence,” noted Jonathan Plutzik, whose family owns and operates The Betsy, and whose father Hyam Plutzik was a three-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.
South Arts is also opening the next cycle of Literary Arts Project Grants as part of its Literary Arts Initiative, providing up to $5,000 per project to literary arts organizations and small presses focused on contemporary literary arts. The grants reflect South Arts’ ongoing commitment to amplifying the literary traditions and artistic practices of the American South by directly supporting the development, production, and public engagement of high-quality literary work. Eligible projects span poetry, fiction, creative or literary nonfiction, young readers’ literature, and drama (scriptwriting), and must demonstrate artistic excellence, editorial rigor, and meaningful public or community impact.
These grants may support projects within two categories: Creative Literary Work Creation and Publishing, which funds the development, editorial production, and dissemination of literary content in print, digital, or audio formats. Projects may include literary journals or magazine issues, book publishing projects, and anthologies or curated collections. The grants also aim to support community engagement opportunities, including projects that connect audiences with contemporary literary arts, such as reading series, literary festivals, and podcasts or digital public programming. Eligible applicants must be local or regional in scope, and should demonstrate collaboration, innovation, and a broad public access in their work.
South Arts’ Literary Arts Initiatives are made possible with support from the Amazon Literary Partnership, The Warner Fund, and other generous donors.
For more information on Southern Prize for Literature, Literary Arts Project Grants and eligibility, please visit southarts.org.