Lake Rats Dispatch (fka. Pick-A-Print )
Chris Fritton
Pick-A-Print vending machines will host small-scale pieces of art (handmade prints, limited editions, zines, found objects, and more) from local Buffalo artists, in a fun, accessible, low-cost format. It intends to host work from over 40 different artists in its first year, and expand from there.
The initial project for Pick-A-Print art vending machines had to be revised due to financial concerns… The refurbished machines went for around $2,000, but a new machine is between $6-7,000, making it impossible to execute Pick-A-Print as planned. Instead, a major pivot was made to realize a project that I'd conceived long ago – a free anonymous art newspaper (or more accurately, a newspaper that acts as an art object) called "Lake Rats Dispatch." The first edition of the newspaper was printed and distribution began on November 12, 2025. The grant will provide financial support for at least 2 issues, the next being in February of 2026, and the intention is to keep the project going with quarterly releases. It's our hope that the number of contributions and distribution will continue to grow if we can find consistent financial support for the endeavor.”
