Announcing the 2026 Winner of the Mini-Comic Bursary for Black and Indigenous Creators!
Conundrum Press is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2026 Mini-Comic Bursary for Black and Indigenous creators.
Congratulations to Dana Belcourt!
Belcourt’s submission is from a work in progress entitled GNAW. Here is what the three jury members had to say:
“Gnaw is a really relatable story, anchored in things we can recognise, such as the source of grief. This resonated with us as a jury. The use of colour was striking and helped propel the visual storytelling. The subtle, mundane, magical world really draws us in. The use of magic realism to flesh out a deep inner world is impressive. We are eager to know what happens next with the story, interested in the expansive world and curious about the release from this story, how will the character find peace. We are excited and hopeful that this artist will have the support and time to take their story forward and finish a mini comic!”
We asked Belcourt a few questions about winning.
What does winning this bursary mean to you?
To me, it represents the acknowledgement of the work I’ve put into creating. Not just creating this comic, but of the hard work I have done to develop my craft and further my artistic career. It’s also my second time applying to this bursary, so I’m also thankful to be able to continuously apply for opportunities and see my improvement reflected.
Do you plan on making GNAW into a mini comic, or do you have bigger plans for it?
Currently, the plan is a minicomic, but I am open to a bigger project if that’s what feels right in the future.
How does making zines or comics fit into your creative life?
I’ve been making zines for a long time now, and the easiest answer for me is that the zines are a reflection of my life in general. The art that I make is very tied to personal experiences, even the mundane everyday things. Zine making fits so easily into my practice because it allows space to reflect on the unique things I experience on a daily basis.
What do you hope to achieve with the support of the bursary?
With the support I’m hoping to finish GNAW into a really tight minicomic. I hope Indigenous and other BIPOC folks see themselves represented in feelings of loss, anger, and grief within the character I represent.
Bio:
Dana Justine Belcourt (They/She) is a multidisciplinary mixed Cree/Métis artist from
Amiskwaciwâskahikan, specializing in paintings, videos, and zines. Their work explores urban
Indigeneity, relationships, and memory. Most commonly, these works are achieved through the
practice of walking, where imagery is gathered, stored, and later transformed into artwork. Because of this, the work has a quality of the inclusion and commemoration of small, mundane details. It is their belief that the every day is where we spend most of our lives, and is worthy of attention and praise the same way the extraordinary is. They’ve recently exhibited at Latitude 53 (2022), Sâkêwêwak (2022), Polygon Gallery (2024), aceartinc (2024), Ociciwan Contemporary Art Collective (2024), and Khyber Centre for the Arts (2025). They’re currently practicing on the unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. They completed a BFA at Emily Carr in 2023.
Instagram:
@dana_belcourt
