## Breadcrumb 1. [Home](/) 2. Markdownify 3. Node 4. [OCAD U hosts Korean artists for cultural exchange](/markdownify/node/4845) October 6, 2026 # OCAD U hosts Korean artists for cultural exchange ![Panel of five people on a stage](/sites/default/files/styles/1_5_1_large/public/2026-10/Panel%20Art%20in%20Context.jpeg.webp?itok=M6PfUhL-) Left to right: Moderator Associate Professor and Chair, Material Art and Design program Julia Rose Sutherland; Onsite Gallery Executive Director and Curator, Indigenous Art, Ryan Rice; Chief Curator, Lee KangHa Art Museum, Lee Sun; artist Seol-a Kim; and artist Saewoong Ju. rgb(255,255,255) This fall, OCAD University welcomed a group of leading Korean artists as part of a new cultural exchange program that is introducing students to Korean contemporary artistic practices and foster long-term relationships between Canadian and Korean creative communities. The initiative, Art in Context: Contemporary Practice, Cultural Dialogue & the Gwangju Biennale, is part of a broader international collaboration connected to OCAD U’s curation of the exhibition, [*Skennen'kó:wa ken? (Do You Carry Great Peace?),* ](https://www.ocadu.ca/news/ocad-university-represents-canada-gwangju-biennale-2026-one-worlds-most-important-contemporary)in the Canada Pavilion at the 2026 Gwangju Biennale. By bringing Korean artists to Toronto and having OCAD U students travel to South Korea, the program is creating a two-way exchange — one that demonstrates the power of art and design to connect people, challenge perspectives and open new possibilities for collaboration. The program is not only an international study experience, but it is an opportunity to build and strengthen lasting relationships between Canadian and Korean creative communities. By engaging directly with artists and cultural institutions, students will gain a deeper understanding of contemporary artistic practice and the different ways culture shapes creative expression. For OCAD U, the initiative reflects the University’s broader commitment to international collaboration and to preparing students to work across cultural and geographic boundaries. From Sept. 28 to Oct. 5, visiting Korean artists and a curator were in Toronto for a series of public programs, including conversations, artist talks, and the exhibition,[ *Tomorrow’s Memories, Mudeung’s Aurora*](https://www.instagram.com/p/DdkxQv_y-Tg/) at 401 Richmond. Among the activities was a panel discussion on October 1 with visiting Korean artists, Seol-a Kim and Saewoong Ju, and Lee Sun, chief curator at Lee KangHa Art Museum. Lee is the Korean partner curator for the [*Skennen'kó:wa ken? (Do You Carry Great Peace?)*](https://www.ocadu.ca/events-and-exhibitions/skennenkowa-ken-do-you-carry-great-peace) exhibition now on display at the Gwangju Biennale. Participating OCAD U students travel to South Korea from Oct. 10 to 17. Beginning in Seoul, they will visit museums and cultural sites, engage with artists and academic partners, and explore contemporary art and design practices before travelling to Gwangju. While in Gwangju, they will attend Gwangju Biennale, including visiting the Canada Pavilion where the exhibition, **“***Skennen'kó:wa ken? (Do You Carry Great Peace)?”* *c*urated by Ryan Rice with Lee Sun, is on display. This exhibition features works by alum-artists Hannah Claus, Melissa General and Shelley Niro. OCAD U is presenting Canada’s Pavilion at the biennale. Throughout the program, students will meet artists, curators, and members of local creative communities; visit museums, archives, and cultural sites; and participate in artist-led talks and experiential learning opportunities that explore contemporary art, cultural dialogue, and creative practice in South Korea. ## Other Recent News [### Partial x OCAD University Artist Showcase Fall 2026 Call for Artists Partial and the RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers are excited to announce the return of our partnership which provides an exceptional career opportunity for OCAD U student artists and recent alumni. Selected artists will be given complimentary 2 year Pro Accounts ($240 value) on Partial and permanent inclusion as featured artists within the OCAD University Artist Showcase on Partial to display their works, and administrate artwork sales and rentals. December 13, 2026 ](/news/partial-x-ocad-university-artist-showcase-fall-2026-call-artists) [### 2027 Sankofa Square Black History Month Digital Exhibition Call for Artists Sankofa Square and the RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers are excited to announce the return of the annual Black History Month Digital Exhibition Career Launcher providing an exhibition opportunity for artists from the OCAD U community to exhibit their work on the square’s digital screens. Selected artists will receive a fee of $500 for their artworks to be displayed across five (5) digital screens for the duration of Black History Month in February 2027. December 6, 2026 ](/news/2027-sankofa-square-black-history-month-digital-exhibition-call-artists) [### 2026-27 Call for Funding Proposals for Student Groups that Support Creative Entrepreneurship on Campus The RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) invites OCAD University student groups with a mandate to support entrepreneurship on campus to apply for funding for student-led initiatives that strengthen and expand the creative entrepreneurship ecosystem at OCAD U. This funding is intended to help student groups create opportunities for entrepreneurship skills development, community building, and revenue-generating activities for students and recent alumni, while reducing barriers to participation for equity-seeking individuals. November 6, 2026 ](/news/2026-27-call-funding-proposals-student-groups-support-creative-entrepreneurship-campus) Related Stories ## Related Stories [### Partial x OCAD University Artist Showcase Fall 2026 Call for Artists Partial and the RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers are excited to announce the return of our partnership which provides an exceptional career opportunity for OCAD U student artists and recent alumni. Selected artists will be given complimentary 2 year Pro Accounts ($240 value) on Partial and permanent inclusion as featured artists within the OCAD University Artist Showcase on Partial to display their works, and administrate artwork sales and rentals. December 13, 2026 ](/news/partial-x-ocad-university-artist-showcase-fall-2026-call-artists) [### 2027 Sankofa Square Black History Month Digital Exhibition Call for Artists Sankofa Square and the RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers are excited to announce the return of the annual Black History Month Digital Exhibition Career Launcher providing an exhibition opportunity for artists from the OCAD U community to exhibit their work on the square’s digital screens. Selected artists will receive a fee of $500 for their artworks to be displayed across five (5) digital screens for the duration of Black History Month in February 2027. December 6, 2026 ](/news/2027-sankofa-square-black-history-month-digital-exhibition-call-artists) [### 2026-27 Call for Funding Proposals for Student Groups that Support Creative Entrepreneurship on Campus The RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) invites OCAD University student groups with a mandate to support entrepreneurship on campus to apply for funding for student-led initiatives that strengthen and expand the creative entrepreneurship ecosystem at OCAD U. This funding is intended to help student groups create opportunities for entrepreneurship skills development, community building, and revenue-generating activities for students and recent alumni, while reducing barriers to participation for equity-seeking individuals. November 6, 2026 ](/news/2026-27-call-funding-proposals-student-groups-support-creative-entrepreneurship-campus)