Francine Cunningham (born 1984) is an Indigenous writer, artist, and educator. She is Cree and Métis.[1]
Her debut novel, On/Me, was nominated for the BC and Yukon Book Prize for The Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes. as well as Indigenous Voices Award for a poetry book in English and was nominated for a 2021 City of Vancouver Book Award.[2]
Cunningham is originally from Calgary, Alberta.[3] She currently lives in Strathmore, Alberta. She lived in Vancouver, British Columbia for over 15 years.[3]
Cunningham graduated from Keyano College with a diploma in Visual and Performing Arts with conservatory style training in acting.[4] She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.[3]
In 2014, She participated in the Indigenous Writing Studio at the Banff Arts Center and placed second in the Our Story: Aboriginal Arts and Stories contest.[3]
At present, she runs creative writing and art workshops as a guest in First Nation's reserves across Canada.[2]
Her collection God Isn't Here Today won the 2023 ReLit Award for short fiction.[5]
Year | Award | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Our Story: Aboriginal Arts and Writing Challenge | "2822" | Second Place | [1] |
2017 | Hnatyshyn Foundation: REVEAL Indigenous Art Awards | Winner | [42] | |
Telus StoryHive's 10K Web-Series Edition | "The Berg" | Winner | [35] | |
2018 | Grain Magazine: Short Grain Contest | "Starting A Religion" | Winner | |
2019 | Indigenous Voices Award, Unpublished Prose Category | Teenage Asylums | Winner | |
The Malahat Review's Far Horizon's Fiction Award | "Glitter Like Herpes" | Shortlist | ||
The New Quarterly's Edna Staebler Personal Essay Contest | "Half-Breed" | Shortlist | ||
2020 | BC and Yukon Book Prize, Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes | On/Me | Nominated | |
CV2 Lina Chartrand Poetry Award | "Blood Quantum" | Winner | ||
Indigenous Voices Award | On/Me | Nominated | ||
2021 | The Malahat Review's Fiction Open Season Award | "Late Nights Over Mayo" | Shortlist | |
2023 | Carol Shields Prize for Fiction | God Isn't Here Today | Longlist | [43] |
ReLit Award | Winner | [5] |