Coventry’s Herbert Art Gallery & Museum has become the UK’s first cultural institution to add an art vending machine.
As part of its Work on Walls exhibition, the museum has installed a repurposed vending machine containing work by local artists, as well as art kits, equipment and games.
Some items are free, others are affordable. Any money taken from the machine is given back to the local arts community.
The vending machine was developed by Birmingham-based artist Clara Stromeyer during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“All I was doing with my children during lockdown was crafts but so many places were closed it could be hard getting equipment,” she said.
Stromeyer decided to fill a vending machine in her garage with arts and crafts and put it on her driveway at home.
“Within a couple of days it had exploded online and hundreds of people were coming every day. Then it was in the media, including on TV,” she said.
Her original goal, however, was to get her arts vending machine concept into an actual gallery. Fortunately, the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum got in touch with her.
“This machine is the very same one that was on my drive so it has a nice poetic circulatory to it,” Stromeyer said.
Making art accessible
“The local artists’ items are flying out the fastest. I love bringing people together and supporting local communities so the fact that the machine is helping in that way is incredible.
“Any artist can take part, no matter how established, so it also gives artists the chance to exhibit their work in an actual gallery, as well as make a small, passive income.”
Kirstie Lewis, events curator at the Herbert, said the concept “is so original and unique but the idea behind it – making art accessible while supporting the local art community – is really in line with our values”.
Also currently at the Herbert is the Natural History Museum’s Dippy the dinosaur, which is spending three years at the museum.
