the story

In the midst of the pandemic, local artists experienced significant setbacks in the form of revenue losses and a lack of ways to promote their work. To address this issue, Vancouver vending co. was created to provide a safe, low-barrier way for artists to sell their work outside of art markets, galleries, and retail spaces that can often present challenging obstacles to growing artists.

The vending machine format acts as an accessible and affordable entry point for the general public to engage in the arts, especially for people who find traditional art and gallery spaces intimidating. As an arts-based social enterprise, the need to elevate marginalized communities is emphasized by prioritizing featuring work from artists with these marginalized identities and donating funds back to local grassroots arts organizations.