OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers is excited to announce Ellie Nakamura-Corfield as the recipient of the 2026 Vector Festival (Festival Assistant) Career Launchers!
Ellie Nakamura-Corfield (she/they) is a Toronto based interdisciplinary artist, curator, and community organizer. Her work focuses on themes of labour, hybridity, found family, oral stories, and fables. In her curatorial practice collaboration drives and facilitates the sharing of personal and cultural experiences, and the exchange of stories, creating connections for one and all; creator, audience, and the places they converge.
Ellie identifies with their Japanese heritage, queer identity, and working class background but acknowledges and accepts that their identity is always in flux in their work and presents as a unified self, never isolating one aspect of herself. They prioritizes connection and sharing over the final product, and finds pleasure and comfort in repetitive movements and conversations with peers.
Ellie has experience as an art technician through Ignite gallery, Onsite gallery, and DIY contract work. They have had numerous experiences with nonprofits such as Vtape, MediaPass Toronto, Steps Creation, and Shoes Off Collective. Ellie has been featured in exhibitions with Gallery 1313, ADA Slaight, and published with Pulse magazine. Ellie has had the pleasure to curate for She Said gallery, Boxcar Social cafe, with global artists in OCAD’s international office, and Arcadia Art gallery.