LAKELAND, FL.- Polk Museum of Art has recently acquired an Art-O-Mat, an old cigarette machine that has been refitted to dispense small, original pieces of art for $5 each (+ tax). To celebrate the acquisition, the Museum will host a program on June 27 led by Clark Whittington, the creator and founder of Art-O-Mat.

"The first time I saw an Art-O-Mat was in Miami," said Leticia Miller, Curator of Education at Polk Museum of Art. "It was just the coolest thing I'd ever seen -- to be able to buy small, original artworks from a vending machine! I am so excited that Polk Museum of Art has been able to get one, and I think that people are really going to love it."

There are currently only three Art-O-Mats in Florida, with the other two located in the Miami area.

The presentation will begin at 10:30am and will cover the origin and development of the Art-O-Mat company, and how the old cigarette machines are converted into art vending machines. Immediately after the presentation, Whittington will talk to interested artists about how they can have their work included in the nearly 100 Art-O-Mats around the world.