Art vending machine aims to lift spirits, support Centre County artists

Forget Twizzlers and Twinkies, there’s a new vending machine staple in State College ... and it’s calorie-free. It’s called the “Art to Go” project and it’s a public vending machine that sells original artwork from local artists.

The project is the brainchild of Julie Verdon and Kieran Holland of Ten Thousand Villages. Along with support from local nonprofit 3 Dots, the team was able to convert a vintage cigarette machine into a one-stop shop for art lovers in the Centre Region.

The inspiration for the initiative came out of the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of the markets have been closed down to artists because they can’t show in galleries and people aren’t going to museums,” Verdon said. “So having a little project like this helps remind people that artists are still here, and we need to support them.”

The vending machine contains 20 separate slots for artists to sell their work. All of the art is small enough to be packaged in a cigarette-sized box and then vended without being damaged. Some of artwork in the vending machine includes jewelry, pins, puzzles and clay dishes. All of the pieces are original and sell for around $15.

“One of the things that I heard from artists is that they were delighted to be part of the project,” Verdon said. “They had to really think about how to shift their medium to make it smaller and do something differently. For them, it was a creative challenge to try to fit their artwork into these parameters.”

The vending machine serves as a mini marketplace that benefits local artists and the community alike. This is especially important now because a lot of artistic initiatives have been put on pause due to the pandemic.

“My exposure to art in the local community has been so little lately because things have been closed and there are concerns about safety,” Holland said. “When I’m not exposed to art, I feel that sometimes my personal development almost stagnates. I’m hoping this is a way that members of our community can continue to be exposed to art.”

The vending machine is open 24/7 and is housed outside of 3 Dots on E. Beaver Avenue. The machine is credit card only. Verdon hopes the small project will have a big impact on the Centre Region.

“Art always uplifts communities,” Verdon said. “Everywhere you go there has to be art. It makes people feel good, it helps people express themselves, especially now during the pandemic.”

Though the project is still new, Holland says the response from the community has been fantastic.

“We have a vibrant community of creatives,” said Holland. “We have a community that is educated and is really in tune with what’s going on in the world. They still want art and they still want to support art in local communities.”

While the Art to Go project has already attracted many local artists, Holland and Verdon say they are hoping to recruit even more.