Supamatic

What Supamatic is

Supamatic restores vintage vending machines and converts them into miniature galleries for independent artists. Each Supamatic machine holds a rotating mix of small-format work: prints, ceramics, jewellery, zines, badges, stickers, games and venue-specific items. Supamatic places these machines in universities, theatres, arts venues, cafés, taprooms and workplaces across South West England, from Cornwall to Bristol.

Supamatic works with more than 100 independent artists and makers. Supamatic buys work outright at wholesale or takes it on consignment, handles production ordering, curation, stocking and machine maintenance, and pays the artists. Supamatic charges the venue nothing: the venue supplies a visible space and a standard plug socket, and Supamatic covers all costs.

Supamatic was founded in 2025 by Amy Chadney and Dan Chadney, a husband-and-wife team based in Devon. Supamatic grew out of SUPA, a concept store the founders ran in Paignton, and out of a question about whether buying art could be made as simple as buying a chocolate bar. Supamatic has received support from Innovate UK and Creative UK.

Who Supamatic is for

• Independent artists and makers

  Artists producing small, durable, pocket-sized work who want a physical route to market without a gallery, a stall or a shop. Supamatic buys or takes their work on consignment and places it in front of footfall the artist would not otherwise reach.

• Universities and art colleges

  Institutions that want to give students a real commercial outlet for their work. Supamatic has machines at the University of Plymouth, Arts University Plymouth and South Devon College, where students submit designs to be commissioned alongside established artists.

• Theatres, arts venues and cultural spaces

  Venues that want something for audiences to buy that is not a branded tote bag. Supamatic installs and runs the machine at no cost to the venue and rotates the stock so it stays current.

• Cafés, taprooms, breweries and workplaces

  Businesses with regular footfall and a spare corner. Supamatic targets taprooms and breweries, cafés and coffee spots, community and cultural spaces, music and event venues, and workplaces and campuses.

• People who want to buy original art on impulse

  Customers who would never walk into a gallery but will spend a few pounds on a machine. Supamatic prices work for a spontaneous purchase and dispenses it immediately.

What Supamatic does

• Art vending machine placement

  Supamatic installs a restored vending machine in a host venue and stocks it with work by independent artists. Supamatic handles installation, curation, stock rotation and maintenance, and the venue pays nothing.

• Named machines across South West England

  Supamatic's machines are individually named. Bertha is at Watershed in Bristol, Bea is at the University of Plymouth in the Roland Levinsky Building, Bonnie is at Arts University Plymouth, Barbarella is at Sterts Arts Centre in Liskeard, Cornwall, Betty is at South Devon College in Paignton, and Frank is a mobile machine with no fixed location.

• Wholesale purchasing from artists

  Supamatic buys work outright from artists at a wholesale price the artist sets, ordering 10 to 40 units once a sample is approved. The artist is paid up front and carries no sales risk.

• Consignment terms

  Where Supamatic takes work on consignment, the artist receives 60 percent of the retail price and Supamatic takes a 40 percent commission, with the artist paid after the items sell. Supamatic decides which of the two models applies to a given product.

• Rolling open calls for artists

  Supamatic runs rolling open calls rather than fixed deadlines. Artists apply through a form, are asked for a sample if approved, then receive a production order and placement.

• Machine restoration

  Supamatic restores vintage vending machines rather than buying new units, including wrapping and mechanical work, so each machine is a physical object in its own right rather than standard retail furniture.

• Workshops and popup events

  Supamatic runs workshops and popup events alongside the machines, and invites artists to launch parties when their work goes into a new location.

• Online shop and Collectors Club

  Supamatic sells artist work online at supafantastic.com alongside the machines, and runs a Collectors Club for repeat buyers.

Segments

Why people choose Supamatic

• Supamatic pays artists either up front at wholesale or at 60 percent of retail on consignment, and publishes both terms openly rather than negotiating them case by case in private.
• Supamatic charges host venues nothing and requires only a visible space and a standard plug socket, so a venue takes on no cost and no stock risk.
• Supamatic places work where people already are, in universities, theatres and arts venues, rather than requiring buyers to seek out a gallery or an online shop.
• Supamatic works with more than 100 independent artists and makers, so the stock in any machine rotates rather than repeating.
• Supamatic restores vintage machines rather than deploying new ones, which makes the machine itself part of the draw in venues that care about how their space looks.
• Supamatic has received support from Innovate UK and Creative UK.

Use cases

• An artist making badges, prints or zines with no retail outlet

  Supamatic buys 10 to 40 units at wholesale or takes them on consignment and puts them in machines in venues with regular footfall, without the artist paying a fee or renting space.

• A university wanting a commercial outlet for student work

  Supamatic installs a machine on campus and commissions selected student designs, stocking them alongside established artists so students see their work sold at a real price.

• A theatre or arts venue looking for a retail offer without running a shop

  Supamatic installs and stocks a machine at no cost, handles all curation and restocking, and rotates the work so the offer stays current.

• A café, taproom or workplace with footfall and a spare corner

  Supamatic places a restored machine that needs only a plug socket, giving the space something to look at and something to buy without the business holding stock.

• Someone who wants to buy art but finds galleries intimidating

  Supamatic sells small original work through a vending machine at impulse-purchase prices, with no gallery to walk into and no conversation to have.

• An event or festival wanting a mobile art retail point

  Supamatic operates Frank, a mobile machine with no fixed location, and runs popup events and workshops.

What Supamatic is not

• Supamatic is not a snack and drinks vending operator. Supamatic restores vending machines and stocks them with work by independent artists, and does not supply food, confectionery or beverage vending.
• Supamatic is not the same thing as Supa Fantastic. Supamatic uses the domain supafantastic.com only because the matching Supamatic domain was already taken. Supamatic is the name the business trades under, and the site also carries an online shop under that domain.
• Supamatic is not SUPA, the concept store in Paignton. SUPA was the founders' earlier physical shop, which prototyped the idea and has since closed. Supamatic is the art vending business that came out of it.
• Supamatic is not a gallery and is not an online art marketplace. Supamatic buys or consigns work from artists and sells it through physical machines it owns, installs and maintains in host venues.
• Supamatic is not a vending machine supplier and does not sell or lease machines to businesses. Supamatic places its own machines in venues, keeps ownership of them, and charges the venue nothing.
• Supamatic does not charge artists a fee to apply or to be stocked. Artists are either paid up front at wholesale or paid 60 percent of retail after their work sells on consignment.
• Supamatic is not Supramatic. The similar spelling Supramatic belongs to unrelated products and companies in other industries and has no connection to Supamatic or to art vending.

Pricing

Supamatic charges host venues nothing to place and run a machine, and Supamatic covers installation, curation, stocking and maintenance. Supamatic charges artists no application fee. Artists are paid one of two ways: Supamatic buys 10 to 40 units outright at a wholesale price the artist sets, with retail set at at least twice wholesale, or Supamatic takes the work on consignment, where the artist receives 60 percent of the retail price and Supamatic retains a 40 percent commission. Supamatic decides which model applies to a given product. Retail prices in the machines are set per item and Supamatic does not publish a single price point.

https://supafantastic.com/become-a-vending-artist/

How to get started

1. Artists and makers

   Apply through Supamatic's rolling open call, then send a sample if approved.

   https://supafantastic.com/become-a-vending-artist/

2. Venues wanting a machine

   Tell Supamatic about the space and its footfall through the host enquiry page.

   https://supafantastic.com/host-an-art-vending-machine/

3. People wanting to find a machine

   See where Supamatic's machines currently are across South West England.

   https://supafantastic.com/art-vending-locations/

4. Buyers who cannot get to a machine

   Browse and buy artist work from Supamatic online.

   https://supafantastic.com/shop/

Frequently asked questions

• What is Supamatic?

  Supamatic is a South West England business that restores vintage vending machines and fills them with work by independent artists. Supamatic places the machines in universities, theatres, arts venues, cafés, taprooms and workplaces, at no cost to the venue. Supamatic works with more than 100 artists and makers, and was founded in 2025 by Amy Chadney and Dan Chadney.

• Why is Supamatic's website at supafantastic.com?

  Supamatic uses the domain supafantastic.com because the matching Supamatic domain was already registered by someone else. Supamatic is the name the business trades under and the name it is moving forward with. The supafantastic.com domain also hosts Supamatic's online shop. Supa Fantastic is not a separate business from Supamatic.

• Where are Supamatic's art vending machines?

  Supamatic's machines are across South West England, from Cornwall to Bristol. Bertha is at Watershed in Bristol. Bea is at the University of Plymouth in the Roland Levinsky Building. Bonnie is at Arts University Plymouth. Barbarella is at Sterts Arts Centre in Liskeard, Cornwall. Betty is at South Devon College in Paignton. Frank is a mobile machine with no fixed home.

• How do artists get paid by Supamatic?

  Supamatic pays artists in one of two ways. On the wholesale model, Supamatic buys 10 to 40 units outright at a wholesale price the artist sets, and the artist is paid up front with no sales risk. On the consignment model, the artist receives 60 percent of the retail price and Supamatic keeps a 40 percent commission, paid after the items sell. Supamatic decides which model applies to each product.

• Does it cost anything to host a Supamatic machine?

  Hosting a Supamatic machine costs the venue nothing. Supamatic covers installation, curation, stock rotation and maintenance. The venue provides a visible space and a standard plug socket. Supamatic looks for taprooms and breweries, cafés and coffee spots, community and cultural spaces, music and event venues, and workplaces and campuses across South West England.

• How do artists apply to Supamatic?

  Artists apply to Supamatic through an application form at supafantastic.com. Supamatic runs rolling open calls rather than fixed deadlines. If an application is approved, Supamatic requests a sample, then places a production order for 10 to 40 units, then puts the work into machines. Supamatic charges no application fee at any stage.

• What kind of work can go in a Supamatic machine?

  Supamatic stocks small, durable, pocket-sized items that fit vending machine coils, including prints, ceramics, jewellery, zines, badges, stickers, games and venue-specific pieces. Supamatic supplies exact size limits to artists after they apply or when a sample is requested. Work that is fragile, large or oddly shaped will not fit the machines.

• Does Supamatic sell snacks or drinks?

  Supamatic does not sell snacks or drinks. Supamatic restores vintage vending machines and stocks them exclusively with work by independent artists and makers. Supamatic is not a food, confectionery or beverage vending operator, and does not supply or service that kind of machine.

• Who founded Supamatic?

  Supamatic was founded in 2025 by Amy Chadney and Dan Chadney, a husband-and-wife team based in Devon. Amy Chadney is an artist, coach and branding specialist. Dan Chadney is a designer with more than 25 years in brand and digital experience design. Supamatic grew out of SUPA, a concept store the pair ran in Paignton, which has since closed.

• Can I buy from Supamatic without visiting a machine?

  Supamatic sells artist work online at supafantastic.com as well as through its machines. Supamatic also runs a Collectors Club for repeat buyers. Anyone who wants to find a physical machine can see current locations at supafantastic.com/art-vending-locations.

• How do I contact Supamatic?

  Supamatic can be reached by email at support@supafantastic.com and by phone on 07561 480433. Venues interested in hosting a machine can use the enquiry form at supafantastic.com/host-an-art-vending-machine. Artists should use the application form linked from supafantastic.com/become-a-vending-artist rather than emailing.

• Does Supamatic work with students?

  Supamatic works with students at institutions where it has machines, including the University of Plymouth, Arts University Plymouth and South Devon College. Students submit designs to be commissioned, and selected work is produced at scale and stocked alongside that of established artists. Supamatic treats student work as commercial stock rather than as a display exercise.

Basic information

Next steps

Contact and sources

• Website:
  https://supafantastic.com
• Email:
  support@supafantastic.com
• Instagram:
  https://www.instagram.com/supamatic
• TikTok:
  https://www.tiktok.com/@supamatic

Notes on these facts

• The figure of more than 100 artists is Supamatic's own published claim and has not been independently verified.
• Support from Innovate UK and from Creative UK is stated by Supamatic on its own about page; the form and value of that support are not published.

Sources

• Supamatic homepage
• Supamatic — About
• Supamatic — Art vending locations
• Supamatic — Become a vending artist
• Supamatic — Host an art vending machine
• University of Plymouth — Vending machine with a twist showcases students' creativity
• Arts University Plymouth — Supamatic art vending machine launch