The Upside Dispensary has launched at Emporium Melbourne with five exclusive artist-designed t-shirts available via vending machine.
Banking app Up has partnered with five prominent Australian artists including Celeste Mountjoy (Filthyratbag), Siobhan McCarthy, Aki Yaguchi, Cosmo Feltham and Olana Janfa for The Upside Dispensary installation. Each artist has created a unique design exploring the theme Life’s Better on The Upside, celebrating collaboration and community connections.
The limited-edition t-shirts are screen-printed by HEAVYPRESS and retail for $45 each, available in sizes S to XXL while stocks last. The installation forms part of Up’s broader campaign promoting their new Groups feature, emphasising the benefits of collaborating with friends and managing finances together.
The Upside Dispensary
- Where: Lower ground food court, Emporium Melbourne, Little Bourke Street
- When: June through August 2025
- What: Artist-designed t-shirts via vending machine
- Price: $45 per shirt
- Sizes: S to XXL
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Filthyratbag’s design features an aspirational daydream of opting out of the rat race, printed on a sunset-coloured tee. Siobhan McCarthy’s ecru shirt draws inspiration from Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, depicting characters climbing a ladder toward wild freedom. Aki Yaguchi’s cocoa-toned design showcases her character Tobu Hime, representing confidence and financial security through whimsical illustration.
Cosmo Feltham’s environmental message contrasts strip mining with eucalyptus trees on an ecru shirt, highlighting Up’s commitment to avoiding earth-damaging investments. Olana Janfa’s orchid-coloured design celebrates a confident young Black woman embracing nighttime possibilities and choosing joy.
The vending machine installation, branded by Boom Studios, offers an interactive way for customers to engage with both art and banking innovation. Visitors can find the machine in the centre of the lower ground dining hall, positioned between Royal Stacks and Old Man Pho.
For more information, head here.
