Butter: Spread the Word
on the communal practice of Butter fine Art fair
by Josiah David Jones
July 30th, 2025
Works by Autumn Breon and April Bey (Left to Right) from the “Butter” exhibition at Context Projects - Photo: Talon Cooper
I was first introduced to Butter Art Fair last year, invited as a guest to "America’s Equitable Art Fair" in Indianapolis. As their mission states: "Celebrating the work of established, independent, and emerging Black artists from Indiana and across the country as part of a new model for care and economic justice in the arts."
A fair that prioritizes artists, with 100% of proceeds going directly to them...how?
Landing in Indiana from New York, that question only grew stronger. As soon as I stepped off the plane, there it was: a 7-foot stick of Butter installation towering outside the terminal at IIA. Signage adorned the area, inside, outside, everywhere, Butter. The next time I saw that level of event representation was landing in New Orleans for the Super Bowl.
Butter Fine Art Fair 2024 - Photo: Cheria Caldwell
Arriving at the hotel, I was greeted by a curation of works from Butter artist alumni, Butter merch shop, and hotel concierge proudly wearing Butter apparel. On my bed, a thoughtfully curated and designed gift box with my name on it. Inside, a catalog showcasing the Butter 2024 curation of Indianapolis-local and internationally renowned artists. Terrible Tony, Micah Johnson, April Bey, Cornelious Tulloch gracing the same space, at the same time. How?
Surveying the list of sponsors, it appeared all of Indiana was championing this cause, all aligned in the vision of supporting Black artists. Butter is successfully conveying the need for resources towards empowering creative capital. This approach is setting the stage for a new type of artist-led economy, and it’s a blueprint we should embrace. We have the power to transform the art world, to move beyond systems that exploit artists and instead create spaces where artists are the true beneficiaries of their work.
What I witnessed in Indianapolis was an experience of collaboration and community-driven impact that was palpable at every turn. The how of Butter is rooted in something more profound than a business model. Founders Mali and Alan Bacon have established a communal approach that unites all stakeholders for a greater cause. From the artists to the organizers, from the sponsors to the patrons, everyone worked together in a way that was unified, focused, and intentional. When I talk about a movement, this is what I’m talking about. In the heart of the Midwest, they’re showing us how we can assemble as a unit to make an impact in the art industry, together.
“Butter” at Indy’s Home Court, All-Star Weekend 2024
Butter has proven that this is possible with $950,000+ in art sales direct to artists as they head into their 5th year in August. The fair has established itself as a vehicle of change, a clear example of how art can be a collective endeavor with widespread impact. Artists, curators, patrons, brands, and institutions working in harmony. This collaborative spirit is refreshing in an industry long dominated by a select few. It reminds us that when we come together and support each other, we can shift the entire industry toward something more equitable.
For arts administrators, curators, galleries, and others within the art industry, the emergence of this artist-first model presents both challenges and opportunities. As a gallerist and curator myself, I understand the necessity of our roles and the existing model that has long been the backbone of the fine art world where curators, dealers, and galleries earn their livelihoods through commissions and a percentage of sales. However, the Butter model disrupts this structure by ensuring that 100% of proceeds go directly to the artists. This raises a critical question: What happens when the economic foundation of the industry no longer depends on gatekeepers and intermediaries? While this shift challenges the traditional system, it also forces us to rethink and evolve our function. This shift presents an opportunity to build a more sustainable, equitable art ecosystem where the artist, not the intermediary, is at the center of the conversation.
Butter at Context Projects - Photo:Talon Cooper
Los Angeles, a city overflowing with cultural influence and artistic talent, is in need of something like Butter Art Fair. Major art fairs often feel distant, inaccessible, and stagnant, while mega-galleries claim support for the culture when the season is right and are never from the culture. For Black curators, gallerists, and facilitators in LA, there’s a shared desire to unite and strengthen our community but all while facing the realities of the current industry-wide challenges. How are we to come together in an impactful way while addressing the immediate needs to keep gallery doors open. Butter would be stepping in at a critical moment, offering a platform that amplifies our collective efforts, creating a beacon of industry innovation right here in LA. By placing Black artists at the heart of the event, celebrated and uplifted, Butter creates space for us to collectively thrive and redefine what’s possible for our community within the art world.
What stands out most about the movement behind Butter is how it brings together stakeholders from all levels. Artists, curators, patrons, and local businesses. Everyone has a role to play. The success of Butter shows that when we work together, the benefits extend far beyond the individual. It’s a win for the entire art ecosystem, and it’s a model that thrives on the active involvement of everyone, from brands and supporters to local governments and community leaders.
Support from patrons, enthusiasts, and all levels of the community is essential to sustaining initiatives like Butter. It is a movement that requires a collective commitment, and it is one that has potential to impact the art world in the years to come.
As I reflect on my experience with Butter, the “How?” still emanates. How can we shift the dynamics of the art world to better support our community and empower artists? Butter has shown us that one answer lies in models that prioritize artists, their work, and their communities. The Butter exhibition at Context Projects in View Park, open through the 17th, provided a powerful example of what that looks like in practice, another step toward creating more spaces where Black artists are the very heartbeat of the conversation. So, how do we continue to build on this momentum? The movement is in motion, and the time is now.
Butter at Context Projects - Photo: Talon Cooper
