Art Vending Machines Pop Up In Philly

Vending machines aren't just for snacks anymore. In Philadelphia and in many cities across the country, art vending machines are making art attainable for everyone. Sticker vending machines are now vehicles to deliver fabulous art to the public.

Maine-based designer Anastasia Inciardi has reached the masses with her vending machine art thanks to viral Instagram and TikTok posts. Inciardi brought her idea to New York's Grand Central Station, where her art vending machine features 10 different prints celebrating New York culture. Sales average 2,000 pieces of art daily.

Locally, Inciardi has three art vending machines in Philadelphia, including one at Another Corner book and magazine shop in Society Hill. DiBruno Bros. announced it was planning to install two Inciardi machines, one at its Rittenhouse Square location and one at its Ninth Street bottle shop.

“My grandmother, two aunts, two uncles, and my cousins all live in Philly,” Inciardi shared with The Philadelphia Inquirer. “When I first started placing my vending machines, I wanted my grandmother to have one within walking distance. She's 85 and loves to walk to DiBruno Bros., pick up some Romano, antipasti, and a few of my mini prints.” 

Inciardi's prints are wildly popular. She sells a few thousand per month from these three locations alone, and she's hoping to expand her Philadelphia offerings soon.

While Inciardi isn't the originator of the art vending machine, she is nonetheless carrying on the legacy of an idea created during the 1990s by Clark Whittington. He refurbished a cigarette vending machine to deliver art instead of smokes, giving birth to the Art-o-mat machine.

In Philly, Latinx illustrator Fabiola Lara is embracing this art trend with some vending machine fun of her own. In April 2024, Lara launched her first Mini Philly Postal Print sticker vending machine at This Corner. She now has five across Philly and plans to expand.

“One of the special things that's come out of this project is being able to work more closely with local businesses in Philadelphia,” Lara said. “As an artist where most of my clients are national or online, it's really nice to get into some brick-and-mortar places and get to know businesses in my own community.”