Celebrating the art of zinemaking
2026
Best of the Fest
Best Mini Zine
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Best Zine Challenge Zine
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Best Narrative Zine
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Best Activist Zine
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Best Comic Zine
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Best Design Zine
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Best Photography Zine
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Best Visual Art Zine
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Best Poetry Zine
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Best Crafted Zine
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Best Overall Zine
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Best Mini Zine ~ Best Zine Challenge Zine ~ Best Narrative Zine ~ Best Activist Zine ~ Best Comic Zine ~ Best Design Zine ~ Best Photography Zine ~ Best Visual Art Zine ~ Best Poetry Zine ~ Best Crafted Zine ~ Best Overall Zine ~
Best Mini Zine
Winner
‘Window to the Soul’ by Luke Toth
“Hilarious! Also love the retro blue printing on green paper.”
Runner-up
‘The kind of person who would live in a David Lynch film’ by tarzine
“I loved the textures, and the Lynchian exploration of a relationship and human connection/ disconnection with each other and the environment/city.”
Wild Card
‘Ollie’ by Ember C
“Adorable! Love the tiny cat-flaps!”
Best Zine Challenge Zine
Winner
‘Maturing is Healing your Relationship to Pink’ by Kathinka Rogstad
“This was my favourite storyline and the title made me laugh. Good mix of collage, drawing and stickers.”
Runner-up
‘The Best Thing About…’ by Jamie Polancic
“Loved the drawings and storyline. It made me giggle with delight.”
Wild Card
‘The Secret Shop’ by Jack Hillin
“Gorgeous detail in the hand drawn images and very enjoyable storyline.”
Best Narrative Zine
Winner
‘2169’ by Marijke van Schaardenburg of Five Stitch Printhouse
“This sci-fi story is such a delight! It's near-future Tāmaki Makaurau is beautifully rendered with observant and cheeky details. At its heart is friendship, queerness, and crushing! Great writing, and I especially love the weka. “
Runner-up
‘Running on Empty’ by CheckersAndRecords
“I was hooked right from the opening line, and as the weeks in the story unfolded, felt like the writer became a friend. Loved the honesty and energetic writing.”
Wild Card
‘my year of coolidge’ by jewelia howard
“A work of endurance by a comedic genius! Love the final note.”
Best Activist Zine
Winner
‘Bi the Way You're Gay’ by Tashi Donnelly
“The result is a zine that is politically meaningful without becoming didactic, and deeply personal without losing its wider relevance.”
Runner-up
‘Temporarily Closed’ by Stu Sontier as acquisitive-eye
“This zine is a powerful example of how “show, don’t tell” can function as a form of activism. Its restraint is part of its strength: the maker doesn’t overwhelm you with explanation, but instead creates a visual argument through careful selection, and repetition. The result is a cohesive work where the form of the zine and its message feel inseparable.”
Wild Card
‘The True Revolutionary is Guided by Great Feelings of Love’ by Pressure Cooker Gays
“Small zine, big heart!! There is a real pleasure in the way the maker has inhabited the page, and I can imagine the process of illustrating this zine being as enjoyable as it is to look through.”
Best Comic Zine
Winner
‘Ethereal Fables’ by Luke Toth
“The comic was evocative and engrossing, and used the comics form really well. Loved it.”
Runner-up
‘First Step’ by Deadface
“A simple but really effective comic about metal health and neurodivergence and state of the health service in AoNZ.”
Wild Card
‘Ode to the Home Computer’ by Kalesbug
“A great little comic about a time when the computer was like furniture.”
Best Design Zine
Winner
‘Patient Property’ by P Wits
“This got me excited about print again and love that print is a medium that champions storytelling and still pushes boundaries in this digital age.”
Runner-up
‘Tāmaki Type’ by l_eft a.k.a Kayla Williams
“This was a joyfully experimental piece that presented personal findings in such a beautiful and tactile way.”
Wild Card
‘Queer! It! Out!’ by Blackout Poetry Aotearoa
“This was an incredibly fun and creative collection of poems…The presentation and often, hilarious, poems were so captivating to uncover and read right to the end.”
Best Photography Zine
Winner
‘Smokeyrouieragdollicious’ by johnthebeloved
“particularly appreciate the simplicity of the premise: documenting the first 18 months of life with Rouie the cat; this zine made me smile.”
Runner-up
‘ONE FALL: Beginner's Guide to Auckland's Indie Pro Wrestling Scene’ by milaza
“Fun and informative, this zine is a beginner’s guide to Auckland’s indie pro wrestling scene.”
Wild Card
‘A relationship of brute force’ by Richard Kearney
“Beautiful collages combining black-and-white photographs and negatives, with a playful approach to experimentation and process.”
Best Visual Art Zine
Winner
‘Aimless’ by caito
“This simultaneously uplifting and dark zine speaks to the pain and uncertainty of growth.”
Runner-up
‘Junkmail 2’ by Jasper Parks
“Junk Mail 2 demonstrates the joy of making and sharing through the zine format.”
Wild Card
‘Project Hail Mary’ by Lucus Laurent & Fantasmal Forrest
“The simple structure suits its purpose perfectly: a casual, affectionate piece of fan fiction and homage.”
Best Poetry Zine
Winner
‘bodies of water i went missing in’ by Jiaqiao Liu
“A cohesive collection of image rich poetry. Liu uses language with precision.”
Runner-up
‘the second ever yellow lamp lit mag’ by yellow lamp
“Conceptually intriguing, with an impressive range of poetry.”
Wild Card
‘Curation of the self’ by Moira Murphy
“Very zine, very poetry. The hand drawn aspects add character and voice.”
Best Crafted Zine
Winner
‘Flowers For Home’ by johnthebeloved
“This zine shows a very high level of craft consideration, every aspect of the zine’s production has been carefully considered and the finish on the end product is flawless.”
Runner-up
‘I Miss You’ by WAMR?!
“This zine is a good example of the hand crafted zine and shows a lot of time and appreciation for craft. The layers of different media give the zine depth. Its tactile nature lends itself to the emotional story of the zine.”
Wild Card
‘Hotpot Zine: Sichuan Spicy’ by Lily Lin
“This zine’s interactive elements adds to the zine reading experience. A fun and unique interpretation of a zine.”
Best Overall Zine
Winner
‘ONE FALL: Beginner's Guide to Auckland's Indie Pro Wrestling Scene’ by Milaza
“This zine demonstrates the essence of zines in a creative, fun and accessible way. Based on the lo-fi materiality, the locally-based content and potential to encourage zinemaking, we believe it to be the best overall zine of 2026.”
Runner-up
‘Temporarily Closed’ by Stu Sontier (as acquisitive-eye)
“A highly impactul zine that says so much with so little. We all agreed that this zine left us overwhelmed with emotions with the way it showcases the raw reality of Palestine and the life that was.”
Wild Card
‘The Second Cumming’ by FANG Magazine
“A stand out zine that our team just had to recognise for its creativity, collaborative effort and campness. Going from page to page, we not only loved the content but also the thought of how fun it would have been to plan and create as a group. Truly a marker of how the zine form can be pushed to its limits and used as a playful project that brings creatives together.”