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Peanuts, pretzels, art, candy bars, cigarettes
  Posted: January 19, 2005
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One way to make art more accessible to people's daily lives is to make art more accessible to people's daily lives. So often, accessibility initiatives are complex attempts to lure and cajole the public out of their daily activities and into our boxes (with discounts, coupons, bring-a-friend programs, lifelong learning initiatives, young professionals programs, cocktail parties, and such). But there are so many opportunities worth exploring to get creative expression out of our boxes and into the everyday world.

Art*o*matA fascinating case in point is the Art*o*matŪ, a collection of refurbished cigarette vending machines that now distribute original art.

The brainchild of artist Clark Whittington back in 1997, Art*o*mat machines now stand in more than 60 venues in 18 states, distributing the original work of more than 300 artists. The first machine, constructed to support a gallery show by the artist, eventually led to an abiding interest in the idea, and a new organization to support it, called Artists in Cellophane. According to the web site:

Artists in Cellophane (A.I.C.), the sponsoring organization of Art*o*matŪ, is based on the concept of taking art and ''repackaging'' it to make it part of our daily lives. The mission of A.I.C. is to encourage art consumption by combining the worlds of art and commerce in an innovative form. A.I.C believes that art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable. What better way to do this, than with a heavy cold steel machine?

I want one.

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