The Sargeson Prize is New Zealand's highest-endowed short-story prize. It is awarded for unpublished stories of 5000 words or less submitted by New Zealand citizens and permanent residents.
The prize honours the legacy of Frank Sargeson, one of New Zealand's most prolific and notable short-story writers. Along with publishing over forty short stories, plays and novels, Sargeson is noted for his support of emerging New Zealand authors. The prize continues to aid writers by offering its winner prize money and publication. The value of the first prize has gradually increased from $5,000 in its first year to $15,000 in the 2025 competition. The first prize for the secondary schools division includes a week-long writing residency at the University of Waikato. From 2026, outstanding entrants in the secondary schools division may also be nominated for a Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship worth up to $15,000 to study at the University of Waikato.
There are two divisions to the prize. The open division is for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents over the age of 16. The secondary schools division is specifically open to New Zealand secondary school students between 16 and 18 years of age.
Founding and sponsorship Catherine Chidgey, author and associate professor in writing studies at the University of Waikato, founded the Sargeson Prize in 2019 in recognition of Frank Sargeson's influence on New Zealand literature.
Sargeson took up a role as mentor to many authors who later became leading figures in New Zealand's literary scene, including the likes of Janet Frame, Maurice Duggan and John Reece Cole. Within his own stories, Sargeson was celebrated for capturing a constrained, working-class voice of New Zealand culture that had not been heard in short fiction up to that point.
The University of Waikato sponsors the Sargeson Prize, offering first, second and third prizes in open and secondary schools divisions, along with highly commended stories.
Open division The open division takes submissions from New Zealand citizens (including those who may be based abroad) and permanent residents aged 16 and over. Entries must be single, unpublished short stories written in English. Stories should be no more than 5000 words. All three winning stories are now published in Newsroom's literary section, ReadingRoom.
Secondary schools division The secondary schools division is open to students who are enrolled at a secondary school or homeschooling in New Zealand. They must be aged between 16 and 18 years old on the date that competition entries close. Entries must be single, unpublished stories of no more than 3000 words.
The winning story is published by Newsroom in its ReadingRoom section. The winner also receives a one-week writing residency at the University of Waikato. This opportunity secures mentoring in the School of Arts, with meals and accommodation in the halls of residence. Recipients under 18 years of age require parental approval to attend.
Winners and judges Year Prize Author Title Judge Prize2019First prize, open divisionSam Keenan"Better Graces"Catherine Chidgey$5000 Published in Landfall and MayhemSecond prize, open divisionElizabeth Morton"Elephant"$1000 Published in MayhemThird prize, open divisionHamish Ansley"Vicious Traditions"$500 Published in MayhemFirst equal prize, secondary schools divisionElijah Neilson-Edwards Xiaole Zhan"Stray Dog" "Woman, sitting in a garden"$500 Published in MayhemSecond prize, secondary schools divisionAriana Happy"Through Glass Eels"$200Third prize, secondary schools divisionAmberlea Gordon"The White Dress"$1002020First Prize, Open DivisionAngela Pope"Lies"Owen Marshall$5000 Published in Landfall and MayhemSecond prize, open divisionSally Franicevich"The Consolidation Phase"$1000 Published in MayhemThird prize, open divisionDavid Coventry"Apologies, Please"$500 Published in MayhemFirst prize, secondary schools divisionAmelia Isac"Nic"$500 Published in MayhemSecond prize, secondary schools divisionKezia Rogers"Twelve for a Wicked Curse"$200Third prize, secondary schools divisionDarcy Monteath"3 levels of mandatory obedience & sapien rebellion"$1002021First prize, open divisionLara Markstein"Good Men" Patricia Grace$6000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoom Second prize, open divisionMikee Sto Domingo"The Duwende"$1000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomThird prize, open divisionJordan Hamel"Unexpected item in the bagging area"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomFirst prize, secondary schools divisionShima Jack"Muscle Memory"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, secondary schools divisionJade Wilson"What Makes a Forest"$200Third prize, secondary schools divisionStella Weston"Ghosts"$1002022First prize, open divisionLeeanne O'Brien"Crawl Space"Fiona Kidman$10000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, open divisionEmily Perkins"The Warning"$1000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomThird prize, open divisionStephen Coates"Brendon Varney Opens the Door"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomFirst prize, secondary schools divisionShima Jack"Fourth Wall"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, secondary schools divisionMaggie Yang"Breaking Up, Breaking Down"$200Third prize, secondary schools divisionReema Arsilan"A Half-Truth is a Lie"$1002023First prize, open divisionAnna Woods "Pig Hunting"Vincent O'Sullivan$10000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, open divisionJake Arthur"On Beauty"$1000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomThird prize, open divisionClaire Gray"Apple Wine"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomFirst prize, secondary schools divisionTunmise Adebowale"The Catastrophe of Swimming"$2000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, secondary schools divisionLeo Reid"triptych"$200Third prize, secondary schools divisionJade Wilson"Archeological"$1002024First prize, open divisionBen Jeffries"Greywacke"Harriet Allan$10,000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, open divisionCraig Cliff"Robinson in the Roof Space"$1000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomThird prize, open divisionCello Forrester"Michael"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomFirst prize, secondary schools divisionReshma Tala"Burgundy Bindi"$2000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, secondary schools divisionTessa Marshall"The contributor"$200Third prize, secondary schools divisionJuliet Blythe"Saturn's Orbit"$1002025First prize, open divisionBecky Manawatu"The Vase"Elizabeth Knox$15,000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, open divisionMaria Wickens"My Pal Mal"$1000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomThird prize, open divisionKate Duignan"Orange Warning"$500 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomFirst prize, secondary schools divisionBrooke Smith "Piece of the Furniture"$2000 Published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, secondary schools divisionHaelyn King "Double Solitaire"$1000Third prize, secondary schools divisionThomas Beaglehole-Smith"Glory Keeps Fucking with My Throat"$5002026First prize, open divisionMikee Donato"Wilding Pines"Becky Manawatu$15,000 To be published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, open divisionCait Kneller"Teal"$1000 To be published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomThird prize, open divisionLorraine Carmody"Alone"$500 To be published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomFirst prize, secondary schools divisionHaelyn King"When the Pōhutukawa Blooms"$2000 To be published by Newsroom in ReadingRoomSecond prize, secondary schools divisionNadia Tan"In Our/My Bedroom"$1000Third prize, secondary schools divisionFelix King-Borrero"Something Original"$500
The Frank Sargeson Memorial Lecture Winners of the Sargeson Prize are announced annually at the Frank Sargeson Memorial Lecture, organised by Dr Sarah Shieff and hosted jointly by the University of Waikato and the Friends of Hamilton Public Library. Prominent New Zealand authors deliver the lecture, and winners of the competition are announced at the end of the proceedings. During the coronavirus lockdown restrictions of 2020 and 2021, the announcements were held online.
See also Grimshaw-Sargeson Fellowship
References