Imbue ArtVend art vending machine

While on a quick pit stop in Brighton on Saturday, we decided to grab brunch at the local independent cafe The Marwood Coffee Shop. Here we stumbled onto a vending machine so brilliant, we actually spent £16 in under an hour (we had to go to the bank to get £2 coins!). The concept is so simple and yet so ingenious and forward thinking, I tip my hat at its creators.

You see, the vending machine ain't just any ordinary vending machine. It's an ArtVend, meaning it despense a piece of art work screen printed on DVD size plywood panels, in this case arts by local Brighton street artist Imbue. Why DVD size plywood panels you ask? Well the vending machines were once used to sell pornographic DVDs, so there!

As each piece are individually screen printed by hand by the artist himself, what you are getting is unique. For just £4, you get the chance to own a random piece of collectible art, making this whole art vending machine idea a brilliant concept for promoting affordable art. As someone who is just starting to collect artworks, I appreciate how difficult it is to get hold of an original artwork by our favourite artists, so the very idea that enables just about anyone on a budget to start collecting art is simply innovative.

Incidentally The Marwood Coffee Shop serves gorgeous artisan antipodean style coffee (beans are sourced from the independent Mozzo roaster in Southampton) and food. It's nice to know that the fifty or so Starbucks in Brighton & Hove has failed to kill off the independent coffee shop movement. Check it out.

The Marwood Coffee Shop
52 Ship Street
Brighton BN1 1AF