Do you like vending machines? Do you make art? Why are you asking me these questions and where is this going? Well… THE CLUNKER is proud to announce it’s affiliation with NNF 2020 (Norfolk & Norwich Festival), offering an opportunity for artists to collaborate and take part within its unique exhibition format, free of charge.

The machine will be on display during the festival in May 2020, with selected artists inhabiting a shelf with their proposed artworks for the duration. This will be displayed in one of the main festival sights, and will incorporate a number of artists taking part within THE CLUNKER over the period of its residency. There will also be an opportunity to exhibit further in another festival exhibition in Milton Keynes, set to take place during 13th - 19th July 2020. 

We are looking for artists who wish to have a bit of fun with their art, whilst also hoping to make a little bit of money in the progress. You do not have to submit something that is ‘typical’ of your usual practice, THE CLUNKER is designed with the idea of adaption in mind. So go nuts, show us something unique, and that could only work in a vending machine context! All artists are welcome to submit, regardless of your background, experience, or status (groups and collaborations for example!)

Submissions could include prints, miniatures, or any object that would suit an holistic presentation to a wide public of all ages. Dependent on the size of the work, we are looking for artists who could contribute multiples or a selection of works to keep the machine stocked and engaging to audiences throughout the exhibition - an edition of 15 or above is ideal. These do not necessarily have to be ‘copies’, they can be as diverse or thematic as the artist wants them to be. We as the creators of the machine celebrate works who identify with this absurd context for selling / displaying art, and thus we prefer that you do not treat it simply as a shop display.

All submissions must be ready for delivery to Norwich or Brighton by April 15th. This can be done in person, or via post/courier - we will contact you with further instructions for this if selected.

Your work title, desired artist name, and contact details/platforms will be displayed on a board alongside the machine, and with your permission they will be featured on our soon to be launched website. Photos will also be taken throughout the exhibition and will be made available online to those who cannot see the machine in person - so don’t be discouraged if you’re not local!

The machine has a total of 36 shelves which are divided as follows:

12 BIG shelves - Holds up to 10 artworks at any one time. Dimensions for display: 2.5cm x 13cm x 14cm (Depth / Width / Height)

24 SMALL shelves - Holds up to 14 artworks at any one time. Dimensions for display: 2.5cm x 6.5cm x 14cm (Depth / Width / Height).

It is imperative that these sizes are adhered to, otherwise your work will not function within the machine and cannot be displayed for lack of functionality. These slots are also designated to artists on a first-come, first-served basis, and thus we recommend that artists are flexible in their submissions to the above sets of dimensions in case their first choice is filled up.

Thanks to recent funding, there are currently no fees in place for applying or exhibiting for THE CLUNKER, and no commissions will be taken on sales - that’s all yours to take home! Costs for transporting works to and from the exhibition, however, are the artist’s sole responsibility.

Pricing your works:

Previous exhibitions have proven that certain price brackets allow greater sales and turn-over. We have found that artworks listed between 50p - £10 have had the best success rate, and strongly advise that any submissions be appropriate for these sorts of prices. We realise that this could feel a little pragmatic to price your works at these low prices, but remind you that THE CLUNKER is an exhibition first, with profits coming as a secondary bonus. Artworks are also more successful when it is clear what the item is, and thus packaging should accurately reflect contents for full understanding of the audience.

For ideas or further reference, please feel free to visit our instagram handle: (@the_clunker) and watch out for news of our upcoming website! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on here, or email theclunkmachine@gmail.com

About:

Established in 2017, THE CLUNKER is an eclectic challenge to traditional formats of artistic display. Created by Jake Francis and Davide Lakshmanasamy, the idea was devised by the pair in response to an underwhelming ‘interactive exhibition’. Making its debut in the 2017 NNF festival, THE CLUNKER has now exhibited the wares of over 60 international and local artists across a number of locations. Most recently, this has included Manifest Arts Festival 2019, a programme devised by groups in Manchester to provide interactive artworks to visitors.