The Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition is an annual international competition presented by the Third Coast International Audio Festival, celebrating the most exceptional audio documentaries and narrative audio storytelling from around the world.
The competition honors outstanding work publicly presented on radio, online, or other audio platforms, spotlighting creativity, innovation, craft, and impact in audio storytelling. With submissions from dozens of countries and hundreds of hours of audio each cycle, the awards recognize excellence across a spectrum of formats and genres, from long‑form documentaries to serialized stories and experimental audio.
The Competition serves as a flagship program of Third Coast, uplifting independent and emerging creators and culminating each year in a showcase of the best audio work discovered through its rigorous juried process.