Now that the Call for Entries has closed, stay tuned for updates on the Competition, including dates for the 2022-23 Competition Awards Celebration, and the announcement of this year’s Award-Winners, Finalists, and more, by subscribing to the Third Coast Newsletter.

What does the 2022-23 Competition offer?

Nine genre-expansive categories. Collectively priced rates for all entrants. The chance to be named one of eleven new Third Coast/RHDF Winners, a small cohort of the most extraordinary audio stories of our current moment, or to be named as a Third Coast Finalist.

... And more.

We’re actively in the process of expanding and re-imagining all that is offered by our Call for Entries. Over the past 22 years, the Competition has enabled Third Coast to honor the most extraordinary audio works of the time. Now, we see the potential for a Call for Entries to also open a kind of worldwide dialogue: a maker-centered Competition unlike any other, offering not only a slate of unique awards and honors, but dozens of potential pathways through collectively-powered resources, workshops, mentorship opportunities, residencies, live programs… we could go on! The point is: what if, instead of using traditional competition models to maintain hierarchy, the annual Competition Cycle could power new kinds of lateral support throughout the industry, and create new pathways for connection and creation?

That’s why we’ve created a new framework for our Competition Offerings — and why we’re trying out some experimental Pilot Offerings this year, beginning with our Best New Artist feedback initiative & honoring lower rates for non-English language entries. Now, we need your feedback to continue building out these offerings: we invite you to share your input with us here.

New Timeline & Eligibility

The Competition is on a new timeline, so mark your calendars with the following key dates:

  • Thursday, October 27: Call for Entries Launch
  • Friday, January 13: Early Deadline
  • Friday, March 10: Final Deadline
  • Summer 2023: Awards Celebration

To accommodate this new timeline, we’ve expanded our window of eligibility:

  • Audio Unbound entries: September 1, 2019 - March 10, 2023
  • All other categories: September 1, 2020 - March 10, 2023

We are always seeking to expand eligibility for the nine historic categories in order to better serve the breadth of work made in this field, including genre-bending work, fictional or partially fictional works, and work from all disciplines and industries. Follow the Entry Guide for more support determining the best route for your entries.

Our Vision & Values

At Third Coast, we lead through our values: prioritizing people and craft over profit, radically expanding access and increasing equity in the field, and pushing the boundaries of audio storytelling through experimentation and community.

These are also the values that shape our vision for the future of the Competition, why we continue to update our Collective Pricing philosophy annually, and why our staff is committed to listening to every single entry through our comprehensive review and judging process.

If you’d like to support this future, there are so many ways you can help:

2022 Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition banner