In 1979, K.A.A.I. merged with Another Space Gallery and relocated to 21A Queen Street, adopting the name Kingston Artists’ Association Inc. & Gallery.

This new location, housed in a heritage limestone building built in 1848 for the City of Kingston Gaslight Company, boldly displayed the slogan “GAS: THE MODERN FUEL” painted on its side. This memorable slogan served as the inspiration for future our transformation into Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre.

To celebrate the launch of K.A.A.I., the artist-run centre made its debut alongside the Kingston Art Event in 1979.

This four-day art event brought together free public exhibitions, video production and screenings, workshops, art walks, dance classes, performance events, creative discussions, newsletters, and an artists’ resource index, establishing a vibrant and diverse artistic platform, spearheaded by the newly formed association.

During the 1980s and 1990s, K.A.A.I. embarked on noteworthy projects, including the literary series Cargo Kulture, the performance series Performable Art Events, and the environmental installation series The Millennium Project.

In 1989, the former Kingston Artists’ Association Inc. transitioned to the name Modern Fuel Gallery for its exhibition space and newsletter, drawing inspiration from the painted slogan on the association building.

In 1995, K.A.A.I. officially became Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, aligning with its goal of maintaining national and international relevance.  During the unveiling of the new Gallery sign in 1995, Sandra Jass, then President of K.A.A.I., remarked, “If GAS is the modern fuel of industry, then ART is the modern fuel of the imagination.”

In October 12, 2012, Modern Fuel commemorated 35 years of incorporation by unveiling a plaque at Little Cataraqui Creek, paying homage to the Millenium Project that took place at the Conservation area from 1990 to 2000. The unveiling ceremony took place at the Two Tattoos installation, created by artist Bill Vazan.

In December 2014, Modern Fuel relocated to its current home at the newly redeveloped Tett Centre for Creativity & Learning, situated at 370 King St. West. This vibrant creative hub is shared with seven other arts non-profits, fostering a collaborative environment. The Tett Centre also serves as a residency space for eight talented artists, fostering creativity and collaboration among the artistic community that we are proud to be a part of.

In 2022, Modern Fuel marked its 45th anniversary with a year-long celebration featuring a range of programming. As part of the festivities, we embarked on the digitization of our archival records, enabling us to curate offsite exhibitions that incorporated archival media. In addition, we offered a diverse array of free arts programming for the local community, culminating in an anniversary celebration held at the Tett Centre. This special event brought together over 100 community members and featured captivating performances by local musicians, engaging displays of archival media, and delightful food and drink.