Post-Mortem Survey for Making Art Work 2020-21
Thank you for participating in the Making Art Work professional development workshop series co-presented by Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, Union Gallery, and Agnes Etherington Art Centre. We are looking for feedback from participants of the program to inform future professional development programs. The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete. Your answers will be anonymous. Thank you for your time!
Introducing Cultivate Art Commons
We are proud to announce our new name: Cultivate Art Commons.
For nearly five decades, Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre has been a vital hub for contemporary and experimental art in Katarokwi/Kingston. As the only artist-run centre within a 300-kilometre radius, the organization has provided artists with a rare and essential resource: a space where they can take risks, challenge conventions, and receive fair compensation for their work.
At its core, Modern Fuel believes that artists are essential to a thriving community. Through mentorship, meaningful connections, and dedicated exhibition space, the organization has fostered an environment where creativity flourishes and ideas are cultivated.
Listening to the Community
As the organization looked toward its next chapter, it engaged the community to help chart the path forward. One theme emerged consistently: the need for a new name. Some community members noted that “fuel” can carry outdated or environmentally harmful connotations in today’s climate-conscious context. Others felt the name did not clearly communicate the organization’s purpose, creating confusion for new audiences.
With this feedback in mind, the decision was made to develop a new name and brand identity—one that more clearly reflects the organization’s role as a community-centred hub supporting artists, fostering collaboration, and nurturing creative growth.
Introducing Cultivate Art Commons
Modern Fuel is proud to announce its new name: Cultivate Art Commons
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The new name, developed in partnership with BmDodo Strategic Design, captures both individual and collective creativity.
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Cultivate reflects growth, care, mentorship, and dedication—the core of developing an artistic practice. It signals the organization’s commitment to nurturing artists and fostering ideas that contribute to the broader community.
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Commons evokes shared space and collective belonging. It represents an open, accessible hub where artists and community members come together, highlighting collaboration, generosity, and shared opportunity.
“Our programming champions artists at every stage of their journey, while enriching the cultural life of our wider community,” said Maddi Andrews, Executive Director. “The name Cultivate Art Commons reflects both who we are and where we’re headed. As we approach our 50th anniversary next year, this marks an exciting new chapter for our organization. It’s an opportunity to share our story more boldly, connect with new audiences, and reaffirm our longstanding commitment to artistic growth in Katarokwi–Kingston.”
A Brand That Reflects Our Mission
The new brand identity reinforces Cultivate Art Commons’ mission. Designed to be welcoming and community-focused, it positions the gallery as a gathering space for artists. Coloured counter spaces within the typography represent the organization’s three gallery spaces, while varied shapes reflect multidisciplinary practice. Bright, cheerful colours are inspired by primary colours and shared artistic energy.
While the name has changed, Cultivate Art Commons will continue to offer affordable workshops, shared tools and equipment, exhibitions, and opportunities for mentorship and professional development. This transition signals not a departure, but a deepening of purpose, strengthening the organization’s commitment to cultivating the arts within the community.
About Cultivate Art Commons
Cultivate Art Commons is a non-profit artist-run centre supporting the presentation, interpretation, and production of contemporary visual, time-based, and interdisciplinary arts. For over forty years, it has provided a platform for emerging and mid-career artists—locally, nationally, and internationally—to develop and share work that pushes boundaries and challenges conventional forms.
Operating in Katarokwi/Kingston, the Commons is committed to being a space for experimentation, dialogue, and mentorship, especially for artists from underrepresented and equity-deserving communities.
Cultivate Art Commons has been operating as Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre for nearly fifty years, supporting artists and working across communities on the ancestral homelands and territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. The organization strives for respectful relationships through all programming and exhibitions, working toward collective healing while honouring the land.
Upcoming Events
Thu, Mar 19Join Grandmother Kate on Thursday, March 19th at Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre for March of the Museums!- Thu, Mar 19Join Grandmother Kate on Thursday, March 19th at Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre for March of the Museums!
Sat, Mar 21Join us for an Artist Talk with Tonya Corkey to learn more about her exhibition Sweet Dreams on view in the Main Gallery!
Fri, Mar 27Join us the last Friday of each month for a guided meditation that invites you to experience art slowly, openly, and with fresh attention.