‘BUTTER’ Fine Arts Festival kicks off this week in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — “BUTTER: A Fine Art Fair” slides through Indianapolis this week.
BUTTER is open Thursday through Sunday and showcases a diverse range of talented Black artists from the local and national scenes.
The third annual event is organized by GANGGANG, a nonprofit organization with a creative mission to promote equity within the arts industry based in Indianapolis.
GANGGANG focuses on cultural development and creative advocacy. It aims to promote beauty, culture, and equity in cities and systems by experimenting with more equitable models like BUTTER.
BUTTER recognizes and enhances the significance and merit of Black artists. It sets a fresh standard for fairness in the arts industry and supports career advancement, according to GANGGANG.
The upcoming edition will showcase a total of 49 artists, both emerging and established. It will feature various art forms, including paintings, sculptures, photography, and performances.
This year’s event will also feature an impressive lineup of galleries showcasing specially curated artwork from eight talented national artists.
BUTTER provides a fresh approach to economic justice in the arts, with a goal to sell or lend out all the artwork and ensure that 100% of the profits are given directly to the artists.
“BUTTER is deepening its commitment to equity, artist care, and building new arts infrastructures at the local level by expanding the curatorial team, establishing curated presentations, and launching new collecting initiatives for the fair’s third edition in 2023,” Braydee Euliss, Director of Curatorial Affairs, said.
The 2023 fair will present work from 49 artists including 35 first-time BUTTER participants from Indiana and across the country.
Last year, BUTTER saw more than 8,000 attendees and 109 pieces of artwork sold. The four-day fair earned a total of $250,000 in 2022. After the event, there was an additional $210,000 in post-sales.
To date, BUTTER has sold over $500,000 worth of artwork, allowing 72 Black artists to earn the full proceeds from their work.
For BUTTER’s schedule, click here.