The spread of Butter: the Black-owned art fair where artists see all the profits

In 2020, Indianapolis based Mali and Alan Bacon felt a sense of urgency. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, there was 'a sudden and almost haphazard effort' from art fairs and galleries to show artwork made by Black people.

The married couple, who have experience in the non-profit and for profit sector and art backgrounds themselves though, 'OK, it's great that it's finally happening, but the artists still need to be cared for and we need to protect them. We had been to Miami Art Basel and other fairs for years and we thought we could do this. We can do the artwork justice.'

Butter – their Indianapolis based art fair featuring all works by Black artists – was born from that energy. The fair is known for its policy of taking no commission from artists’ sales.

While the fair prepares to celebrate its fifth year in Indianapolis, this year, Los Angeles gets their first taste of Butter. From now until August 17, Butter is open to the public at Context Projects. Butter Los Angeles includes 14 pieces from eight artists, half from Los Angeles, half from Indianapolis. The LA instalment is presented in collaboration with Art Loud LA and Valence Studios and is free and open to the public.

In conversation with Mali and Alan Bacon, founders of Butter Art Fair

Wallpaper: What is Butter’s mission?

Mali Bacon: The mission of Butter is to centre the care and the economic viability of African diasporic artists. Here in Indianapolis, we reserve half of the exhibition space for Indiana based artists and then bring in artists from other markets.

Alan Bacon: Butter allows just a unique opportunity to challenge the dichotomy between value and worth. Black Lives Matter, of course, but what we produce is also in the throes of that narrative. Where there is recognised value, but the worth is one thing that Butter tries to meet headstrong.

W*: How did you decide to bring a version of the fair to Los Angeles?

MB: This event is a taste of Butter, it's an introduction to what could be possible in Los Angeles.

We had 11 Los Angeles based artists in Butter 2024 and our curator Nikita Moore is from LA and helped to broker and introduce the markets to each other. This year Jack Forbes is a curator for Butter in Indianapolis and is based in LA and Malibu.

LA is interested and curious about this no commission model. [LA is] thinking about what the future of art fairs is. Does Indianapolis have it? And I think LA is like, ‘Oh, no, we do too now.’

W*: Butter operates on a 100% model, with the fair taking no commission from the artist. Why is this important to you?

MB: We're not anti-gallery, we're just introducing another way where we're not building the fair off of taking any sales from the artist. That's just not one of the revenue streams.

A third of revenue comes from ticket sales despite being a more accessibly priced fair. Revenue also comes from the shop, and the bar, building out the experience around it and sponsorships. The private sector really comes together to support this and because they have access then to the artist, they are curating their hotels and their corporate offices with these Butter artists who are emerging and established.

AB: I think we had around $65,000 worth of art sold within that first year and around 3400 attendees. Fast forward four years and we are anticipating 12,000 individuals per year now and we've sold over $900,000 worth of art. Almost a million dollars going back to artists' hands and households.

W*: Why is the no commission model particularly important for the Black artists showing at the fair?

MB: To me, it’s a form of cultural reparations. We're talking about economic justice, we're talking about being able to pay back a culture that has offered so much to our everyday life, our quality of life.

When I think about cultural reparations, I think of empowerment, because the artists made this and this is what they're charging. That's what they want for it. Power at the end of the day is what we're offering back. We find ourselves as brokers to advocate on behalf of the artist versus on behalf of the fair or the institution or the gallery, which is the traditional model.

AB: Butter is about representation. This allows there to be a microphone to the voice of the artist that we depend on in very critical moments in history. I think we're in a critical moment right now as well. In traditional platforms and pathways, that’s not the case.

Butter is open to the public at Context Projects, 4435 1/2 W. Slauson Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90043 until 17 August 2025