As an artist, what can I sell with Mystry Mart?

All art must be original. Examples include: paintings, prints, mini sculptures or figurines, photography, small books or novels, keychains, pins, textile-based items, games or puzzles.

What Is Not Allowed?

Sticker(s)-Only Sales (this includes sticker packs and sheets), collages that do not feature the artist's original work, controversial topics, religious imagery, licensed characters (even if altered), art featuring famous celebrities, holiday content, greeting cards, postcards, AI-generated content, designs that consist solely of typography without additional visual elements.

What makes Mystry Mart unique for artists:

Mystry Mart isn’t just a vending machine — it’s an interactive art adventure that brings local creativity to life. We build a supportive ecosystem where artists uplift one another, patrons discover and fall in love with new work, and cultural spaces actively champion emerging talent.

Beyond sales in the machine, our artists gain real opportunities for growth and visibility. Many have been discovered through Mystry Mart and commissioned for larger-scale projects, including murals and custom work. Several artists have gone on to sell their work in museum shops, teach art classes, and collaborate directly with cultural organizations after being featured in our machines.

We also create pathways outside of Mystry Mart by staying in close communication with creative agencies, brands, and production teams looking for artists for paid projects and collaborations. When opportunities arise, we connect artists directly — because supporting artists means helping them build sustainable, real-world creative careers.

By showcasing your work in iconic cultural spaces and high-traffic creative hubs, Mystry Mart offers more than exposure. It offers confidence, community, and tangible opportunities to grow. Many of our artists sell out multiple times throughout the year, but just as importantly, they leave with new relationships, commissions, and momentum. It’s a joyful, surprising, and meaningful way to share your art and be truly seen.

DO ARTISTS HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING To participate in Mystry mart?

No! There are no participation fees. Mystry Mart purchases your items upfront at the wholesale price you set in your Artist Application. Once we purchase them, we handle all sales, distribution, and promotion.

Initially, we pay artists in two installments for their first wholesale purchase (20 pieces for a trial run):

1. 50% upfront when the order is placed.

2. 50% upon delivery of the items to Mystry Mart.

Once everything is confirmed and approved, artists will be placed on an automated monthly wholesale payment plan for 50–100 products, with the opportunity to scale up as we continue to grow. We use Melio to deposit direct payments into your preferred checking account.

What are the wholesale prices per item?

• 5×7 prints with a clear plastic sleeve and white backing board. 4×6 prints in 5×7 pre-cut mats with backing boards and clear sleeves (see below for packaging requirements): we prefer to stay at $5 or under per piece.

• Original pieces: pricing depends on the scope, materials, and complexity of the work, and is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

• Keychains and pins: we prefer $6 or under per item.

Do I have to be based in New York to participate?

No, we accept artists from all across the United States.

What do you look for in an artist submission?

We’re looking for artists who have a strong, consistent style and a clear connection to their creative work. Mystry Mart is not a place to submit leftover inventory or quickly throw together an art page just to be featured. We work with creatives who are actively making, have built their lives around their craft, and express a visual identity that feels authentic.

Your submission should reflect the work you already showcase on your Instagram. We look for consistency between what you create and what you’re submitting, so if your page is focused on one medium or style, your submission should stay true to that. We’re not interested in pieces made just to fit in, we’re interested in what makes you stand out.

If your work feels intentional, aligned with your practice, and made with care, you’re exactly who we want to work with.

What are the Requirements for Artists?

• A public, artist-focused Instagram account with your work clearly showcased is required. We include your Instagram handle on the packaging so that customers can see who they are purchasing from, connect with you directly, and explore more of your work. Failure to provide a public and active Instagram account will affect the approval process.

• Packaging is mandatory. Although your artwork will be placed into our branded chip bag packaging, it is required that you also package your work before submission. All packaging requirements are listed below under ITEM REQUIREMENTS.

• Quality matters. Your art represents not only your unique vision but also the collective spirit of all the artists involved in Mystry Mart. We encourage you to take care with the quality and presentation of your work, as it reflects us all.

What if I have multiple types of items to sell (prints, pins, keychains, etc.)?

This only applies to artists who wish to submit multiple types of items.

We love that you’re multi-talented! However, we ask that you start with prints or traditional artwork first, as that’s our main focus and what tends to do best in the machine. Once you’ve gotten started and we’ve seen how your work resonates, we’re happy to explore other items you may want to sell, like pins, keychains, or other handmade pieces.

This helps us keep the machine curated and consistent while giving you space to grow within the Mystry Mart experience.

If you offer multiple print varieties, it’s completely up to you whether you’d like to send a batch with mixed visuals, keep the same design throughout the month, or rotate pieces monthly. For the application, please submit one or multiple visuals depending on what you’d like to sell with us. If you have a catalog, feel free to include that — it helps us determine which works would be the best fit for the machine and our locations.

Item Requirements:

• Ensure your item is heavy enough to drop straight down 5 feet, this is to ensure your items will vend properly in our machine.

• Packaging for Prints/Lightweight Paper Art: Artwork that is 5×7 needs to be placed in a clear plastic sleeve (link here) and white backing board (link here). Artwork that is 4x6 should be mounted in 5x7 pre-cut mats with backing boards and clear bags from Golden State Art (link here) or a similar product. Some artists also use Topload Holders (link here). This enhances the weight distribution, ensuring your items vend properly in the machine and appear more appealing to collectors. For high-quality prints and paper, artists have successfully used companies like CatPrint.com, ProDPI.com, and FrenchPaper.com.

• Canvas Panels: The preferred size is 5x7, but smaller sizes are acceptable. For art created on canvas panels/boards (link here) please use clear plastic sleeves (link here) to protect your art from damage.

• Ceramics: Items must fit 5x7 dimensions. Items should be bubble-wrapped and can be placed inside Kraft boxes, pillow boxes, fabric bags, or anything similar that provides both protection and a clean presentation. Our machines are padded on the bottom for extra safety.

• Pins & Keychains: Must be mounted on backing boards and enclosed in plastic slips.

• Ensure your package keeps your item from breaking or getting damaged in transit.

• We encourage everyone to include a short, neatly printed artist bio on the back of their work, allowing collectors to connect more deeply with you and your art.

Meeting these requirements makes it more likely that we can accept your item, and that it will sell well in our machines. Please see below for examples:

how can I apply to sell my work with Mysty Mart?

Please fill out our artist application below!

After Your Application is Approved...

• After your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions to submit a 20-piece wholesale trial. Following the trial period (within one month), you will be provided with an agreement to sign in order to begin an automated payment plan.

• Once you are approved with Mystry Mart, we encourage you to share the news on Instagram! Tag us to let your followers know that your art will now be available through our vending machines, and we’ll happily repost to support you. It’s a great way to spread the word and build excitement for your work!

• If a month passes since filling out an application and you haven’t heard back from us, please understand that, due to the high volume of submissions, we are unable to respond to follow-up inquiries. We encourage you to refresh your materials and submit a new application when you’re ready.

GOOD LUCK!