Membership
Join Modern Fuel and receive the following benefits:
- Modern Fuel print newsletter three times a year
- exhibition access to the State of Flux project space
- Modern Fumes:a weekly e-bulletin on Modern Fuel activities and community events.
- participation in juried Members' Shows and annual Art Auction
- exhibition brochures by mail
- resource centre for grants, employment and other opportunities
- opportunities to work with other artists
- option to use equipment and resources available in the New Media Workspace (additional fees)
- discounts on ticketed events, such as the Tone Deaf Festival
- Opportunity to vote at Annual General Meeting
Volunteer
At Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, we rely on the generosity of our volunteers. Having only two permanent staff members, the operation of the Modern Fuel Gallery, the State of Flux and the New Media Lab is dependent on Modern Fuel members and supportive community members.
Not only can our volunteer positions enhance your C.V., but sharing your time with Modern Fuel is a chance to promote art, interact with the Kingston art community and gain valuable skills. The following is a brief outline of some of our primary volunteer opportunities, please not that job details may change. There is always a lot to do at Modern Fuel and we encourage you to talk to us about how you would like to participate and what position would best match your skill set and availability.
Photographer
Duties: Modern Fuel is looking for an experienced photographer who can volunteer to provide us with professional level photo documentation of our exhibitions and events.
Requirements: experience with photography, experience shooting art work in a gallery setting.
Time Commitment Several hours on a monthly basis depending on what you are documenting.
Modern Fumes Coordinators - FILLED
Duties: Once a week work with the Administrative Director to compile Modern Fumes, our weekly e-newsletter which updates our membership on events, exhibitions and artist opportunities in our community. The Modern Fumes Coordinators would be required to create brief summaries of press releases and other information Modern Fuel received for the week and then format it as the Modern Fumes newsletter and send it out to our membership.
Requirements: Strong writing and editing skills
Time Commitment:2 hours per week.
Publicity & Publications
Duties: Working closely with members of Modern Fuel’s Communications Committee, volunteers will be responsible for writing, creating, and distributing exhibition reviews and posters; designing and distributing pamphlets and promotional materials; writing and publishing critical articles related to Modern Fuel events and exhibitions; and/or contributing written and visual material to the Modern Fuel bi-monthly newsletter.
Requirements: Strong critical and descriptive writing skills. Experience with computer design programs.
Time Commitment: Between 2-4 hours per month.
Reception Coordinators
Duties: Under the supervision of the Administrative Director, Reception Coordinators plan, purchase, and prepare the food, snack, and beverage table for opening receptions; coordinate documentation of the event (gather digital imagery for the website); and ensure the clean-up of the gallery space at the end of the reception.
Requirements: Strong organizational skills, outgoing personality, available on weekend evenings/nights.
Time Commitment: Approx. 4 hours per month
Vapours Coordinators
Duties: Working closely with Modern Fuel’s Co-Directors, the Vapours Coordinators are responsible for organizing, scheduling, promoting and liaising with musical guests for our ongoing Vapours concert series. They also assist in the set up and take down of the performance space in the gallery, which often includes renting and setting up sound equipment.
Requirements: Knowledge of local and surrounding area music scene, strong interpersonal and organizational skills. A basic technical knowledge of sound systems would be a strong asset.
Time Commitment: 5-6 hours per month
Special Event Facilitators
Duties: Special Event Facilitators are responsible for managing ticket sales (supervising the door), bar tending (serving and selling drinks), and setting/cleaning up (chairs, tables; bottle collection) of Modern Fuel’s various special events.
Requirements: Outgoing and friendly, willing to engage with the public, ability to work with small sums of cash, available on weekend evenings/nights. Bar Tenders must be 19 years or older.
Time Commitment: Approx. 4 hours per month
Maintenance Supervisors
Duties: Maintenance Supervisors are responsible for ensuring the ongoing upkeep of the physical gallery building. This could include everything from installing/de-installing exhibitions, to assisting with basic handy-work, to maintaining and repairing damaged areas of the building, to organizing MF’s bottle recycling. The Maintenance supervisors may also be responsible for leading the ‘Annual MF Maintenance & Clean Up Day’.
Requirements:Construction and/or handy-work experience. Ability to lift heavy objects.
Time Commitments: Approx. 3-5 hours per month.
Art Sale Coordinators
Duties:Working with the Art Sale committee, the Art Sale Coordinators would be responsible for selling ads in catalogues, working with the media to promote the art sale, liaison with the artists, transporting work, set-up, take down and clean up on the night of. Additional tasks would include photo documentation, writing summary reports and overseeing financial reports after the Art Sale. The Art Sale is our biggest fundraiser of the year so there is much to do!
Requirements: Strong organizational skills and a commitment to seeing the project through. Ability to multitask. Outgoing personality.
Time Commitment: 5-10 hours a month, more the month of the art sale.
Internships
Internships and co-op opportunities provide a focused opportunity for students to experience multiple facets of the nonprofit contemporary arts environment. In the past, Modern Fuel has worked alongside Queen's University and St. Lawrence College to make these opportunities happen. If interested, please speak with Michael Davidge, the Artistic Director, to find out more about student placements at Modern Fuel.
Donate
We need your help! If you or anyone you know wants to donate to Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, please contact the Modern Fuel staff. Donating to such an important cultural institution in Kingston is not only rewarding, but also comes with many benefits including tax deductible receipts, your name in the Modern Fuel newsletter and on the Modern Fuel Wall O'Fame, and most importantly our gratitude.
