Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts

Detailed Program Description

South Arts’ Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts acknowledge, support, and celebrate the highest quality literary work being created in the American South. The State Fellowships for Literary Arts are awarded to artists with a commitment to artistic excellence as evidenced by the quality of their work.

The Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts will be awarded to writers of one creative literary arts genre each year.  

Annual Cycles and Genres

2025 Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts: POETRY

Forthcoming cycles will support various genres, such as drama/playwriting, creative nonfiction, and young adult fiction.

Who May Apply/Awards/Selection

The program is open to individual artists who meet all eligibility criteria and live in the South Arts region: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Please refer to the eligibility and guidelines section below for full details on who may apply for the Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts.

Applicants are required to submit (through South Arts’ online application portal-currently SlideRoom): an application, a writing sample, an artist’s statement and Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) as outlined in the Guidelines. Writers at all stages of their career are eligible to apply; successful applications show evidence of outstanding talent and commitment to the creation of new work.

The State Fellowship for Literary Arts is awarded to artists whose work reflects the best of the literary arts in the South. A national panel will select one awardee per state, for a group of nine State Fellows based on artistic excellence that reflects the diversity of artistic expression of the region, each of whom will receive a $5,000 award. The nine awarded State Fellows will compete for the Southern Prize for Literary Arts. Each of the nine state fellowship recipients will be required to attend the awards ceremony. The $25,000 Southern Prize will be awarded to the literary artist whose work demonstrates the highest artistic excellence, and a finalist will be awarded a $10,000 Prize. Additionally, both Southern Prize awardees will receive a two-week residency at The Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences.  

The cohort of nine State Fellows is selected through a two-tiered selection process by a national panel. A separately appointed national panel will select the Southern Prize winner and finalist. Panelists will make their selections based on artistic excellence as reflected in the application package (writing sample and artist’s statement) that reflects and represents the diversity of artistic expression of the region.  

South Arts is committed to practices and funding that create greater cultural equity, represent the diversity of artistic expression of our region, are inclusive of diverse voices and artistic expression, and are accessible to everyone. 

Timeline and Other Information

• Applications accepted beginning October 15, 2024  
• Application Deadline: Submission at or before 11:59 p.m. ET, January 15, 2025
• Informational Webinar: TBD
• Award Notification: on or before April 2025  
• Please note that the fellowship awards announcement may be earlier or later than the date listed above.
• Applicants who are not awarded a fellowship will receive notification via email (email of record within the SlideRoom application portal) in advance of the fellowship awards announcement.
• South Arts reserves the right not to
• Consider incomplete or improperly submitted applications.
• Inform applicants of incomplete or improperly submitted applications.
• Panelists will not provide comment on any applications.
• Applicants who move from the South Arts region after they submit their application are encouraged to notify South Arts and will not be eligible to receive a fellowship.
• Southern Prize for Literary Arts Awards Ceremony: TBD 

#guidelinesGuidelines

While preparing your Southern Prize and State Fellowships application, please refer to the following guidelines. 

Eligibility

• Applicants to the Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts must meet the following eligibility requirements:
• Only one application per artist per grant cycle will be accepted. Writers who are awarded a State fellowships for Literary Arts are ineligible to apply for this program for six years (not earlier than 2031). Southern Prize for Literary Arts recipients are ineligible to apply to this program for a period of 10 years (not earlier than 2035).
• Be a writer at any stage of a creative literary arts career.
• The applicant must be the writer whose original work is represented in the submitted work samples.
• Age 18 or Older.
• Artists must be a legal US citizen or have permission from the Department of Homeland Security to work permanently in the U.S.
• A permanent legal resident of the South Arts’ nine-state region for at least the prior two years (January 2023). The applicant must be a current resident of the State they are applying in at the time of application and agree to maintain residency in that state until June 30, 2026. Applicant must be able to prove current state residency as requested by South Arts staff.
• Cannot be a matriculated student in a graduate, undergraduate program of study. Works cannot be submitted if created while applicant was a matriculated student.
• Submit a complete, accurate and properly prepared application through the SlideRoom application portal.
• Actively practicing writer of Poetry.
• Please note: Collaborations are ineligible for the Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts.

Residency Verification

To be eligible to apply for this grant, you must be a legal resident of the South Arts region which includes the following nine states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Legal residency in the South Arts region must be for at least two (2) years prior to the application deadline and the artist must maintain residence in the state of residency as submitted on the fellowship application during the entire grant period; have a permanent South Arts residential address, as listed on government issued identification or tax returns. Post office boxes may not be used as a primary address.

To demonstrate proof of South Arts regional residency, you will be required to submit a current state driver's license or a state ID with the application. South Arts staff may request at any time during the application process additional proof of residency requirements including the submission of one or more of the following documents that establishes residency and reflects the artist’s home address(es) over the prior two-year period (January 2023. Please redact sensitive information.)

• Utility bills with address provided on the fellowship application, and payment receipts.
• Proof of automobile insurance showing the applicant’s state residency address.
• Active lease agreement, certified deed, or mortgage statement with South Arts regional state address.
• A valid state motor vehicle registration or state DMV identification card Valid Voter Registration.
• Other Commercial Correspondence that includes the artist’s home address(es). 

Literary Arts Genres

The 2025 Southern Prize for Literary Arts will accept applications for writers of Poetry.

Work Samples

Your writing sample must be:

• Your writing samples must be:
• Up to 10 typewritten pages of poetry
• One synopsis page is optional. Include it as the first page of your work sample. It is counted in the total 10 pages allowed.  
• No more than one poem per page or one narrative poem or section not to exceed 10 pages.
• Work created from as early as January 2020 for which you have sole artistic responsibility. You may submit published works, unpublished works, or works in progress. Do not indicate whether the material has been published.
• Labeled to indicate title and genre of the sample. In the header of every page, include the title and genre (only Poetry works will be accepted for the 2025 application cycle) of the writing sample and the page number in the upper right corner.  
• Submit your writing sample in typewritten, manuscript form: 12-point standard font, double-spaced and margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all pages.  
• Only submit up to the maximum number of pages allowed; excess pages beyond page 10 will be removed and not reviewed.
• Save and submit your writing sample as a PDF file observing above requirements.

Ineligible Work Samples 
Please note the following work samples are ineligible and should not be submitted:

• Collaborative work samples
• Works created while the applicant was a student. 

Review Criteria and Process

The cohort of nine State Fellows will be selected through a two-tiered selection process by a national panel. A second national panel will select the Southern Prize winner and finalist. The panelists will make their selections based on artistic excellence that reflects the diversity of artistic expression of the region. 

Awards and Notification

Artists will receive notification of the state fellowship award status by April 2025. The Southern Prize winner and finalist will be announced at the Southern Prize for Literary Arts awards ceremony.

The Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts awards are unrestricted and do not have a matching requirement. Each of the 9 competitive state fellowships includes a $5,000 award. The Southern Prize winner includes a $25,000 additional award while the finalist includes a $10,000 additional award and a residency at the Writers Room at the Betsy-South Beach. 

Expectation of Winners

Publicity and Awards Ceremony

Awardees of the South Arts State Fellowships are required to attend the Southern Prize for Literary Arts awards ceremony. Location and exact date are to be determined. Transportation, lodging and meals associated with attendance will be covered by South Arts. One round-trip flight (or rental car coverage) and one hotel room will be provided and booked by South Arts. This offer does not extend to any of the awardees’ guests.

Use of Funds

There is no requirement for how the State Fellows and Southern Prize winner and finalist use the awarded funds. South Arts hopes the money would go towards pursuit of artistic achievement, but awardees are not required to submit their use of the funds for approval. The funds are expected to be used between May 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. State Fellowship and Southern Prize awardees should note that the award money constitutes taxable income. Please Note: South Arts cannot accommodate any award distribution adjustments related to tax planning. Awarded artists should consult with a professional tax accountant.

Fellowship and Prize awardees are expected to write a one-page final report and submit images (if appropriate) on how they used the fellowship winnings.

Expectations of Southern Prize Awardees

Engagement opportunities—in the form of speaking engagements, increased publicity, and more opportunities to display work through South Arts—can be reasonably expected by South Arts Southern Prize for Literary Arts recipients and State Fellows. 

Technical Assistance and Other Resources

Make an appointment for any questions about the requirements or application process for Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts program. 

Make an appointment

Application Requirements

Applicants to the South Arts State Fellowship for Literary Arts program are required to complete an online application via SlideRoom. The application will be open to receive submissions beginning October 15, 2024. The online submittal process will include the following items:

• Online application
• A $25 application fee (Please note: If the application fee creates a barrier, the applicant may request a waiver from South Arts by contacting southernprize@southarts.org).
• Scanned or photographed copy of either applicant’s state-issued identification or driver’s license must be submitted with application.
• WORK SAMPLE (Please note: The 2025 application cycle will accept application for Poetry only)
  • Your writing sample must be:
    • Up to 10 typewritten pages of poetry
    • One synopsis page is optional. Include it as the first page of your work sample. It is counted in the total 10 pages allowed.  
    • No more than one poem per page or one narrative poem or section not to exceed 10 pages.
    • Work created from as early as January 2020 for which you have sole artistic responsibility. You may submit published works, unpublished works, or works in progress. Do not indicate whether the material has been published.
    • Labeled to indicate title and genre of the sample. In the header of every page, include the title and genre (only Poetry works will be accepted for the 2025 application cycle) of the writing sample and the page number in the upper right corner.  
    • Submit your writing sample in typewritten, manuscript form: 12-point standard font, double-spaced and margins of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and sides of all pages.  
    • Only submit up to the maximum number of pages allowed; excess pages beyond 10 will be removed and not reviewed.
    • Save and submit your writing sample as a PDF file observing above requirements.
  • Please note collaborative work samples or works created as a student should not be submitted.
• Documentation and Demographic Information  
  • Birth Year
  • Gender Identity
  • Race/Ethnicity
• An artist statement of up to 250 words (up to 1,250 characters) is required. If you have not yet developed an artist statement, this article may be helpful.
• Professional Resumé or Curriculum Vitae  
  • This summary should include educational background, arts-related employment, residencies, awards, honors, teaching, publications, and/or other pertinent experience. The resumé can be as brief as one page and up to five pages and should be saved as a pdf file. 
     

The Southern Prize and State Fellowship for Literary and Visual Arts are made possible through very generous donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations.

The 2025 Southern Prize and State Fellowships program is supported by the State Arts Agencies of South Arts' 9-state region, generous sponsors including the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, Southern First Bank, the Warner Fund, and generous donors including Cathy Adams, Cheri Snyder, Sejal Mehta, and Susie Surkamer.

For further information about the Southern Prize and State Fellowships for Literary Arts, contact Joseph Crawford or Emmitt Stevenson.