A re-purposed vending machine which dispenses art was installed this week in Christchurch's Arts Centre.
The Ōtautahi machines features a tram and the Cathedral. Photo: Christchurch City Council / Newsline
The machine, called a Kunstautomat, gives out a small piece of art in exchange for $6.
Christchurch City Council arts adviser Zara Potts said the handcrafted art piece could be anything imaginable.
"[It] could be a painting, tiny sculpture, photograph, drawing, a cartoon or any other type of art...
"There's something exciting about not knowing exactly what's about to come out of the machine," she said.
Kunstautomat is the invention of German artist Lars Kaiser, who has been creating the machines across Europe for several years.
Kaiser designs each machine specifically for its whereabouts, with the Ōtautahi one featuring a tram and the Cathedral.
Potts was the one who came up with the idea to bring the machines to New Zealand, after spotting one while on holiday in Berlin.
"We are super excited to be launching the first one in the Southern Hemisphere and the first one in Aotearoa. It's going to be a great asset for our Christchurch creatives," she said.
"Work from local artists will feature in the machines around New Zealand, as well as being sent across the globe to machines in Europe."
Kaiser has donated the Kunstautomat and the money paid goes towards supporting the artists and paying for their supplies.
It is the first of three to be installed around Aotearoa, thanks to a partnership between Kaiser, Toi Ōtautahi and the Goethe-Institut NZ.
The Kunstautomat is situated in the South Quad of the Arts Centre.
