The no-commission independent fair taps Kimberly Drew as guest curator and supported by dynamic advisory council of cultural leaders

LOS ANGELES (December 19, 2025) – BUTTER Fine Art Fair has announced new details for BUTTER LA, its first expansion beyond Indianapolis. Taking place over February 26 – March 1, 2026 in Inglewood’s Hollywood Park, BUTTER LA will be an immersive four-day fair highlighting the creativity of the African diaspora from independent, emerging, mid-career, and established artists, in conjunction with the city’s Frieze Week. 

The independent fair will be produced by Stoodeo, the production startup launched by GANGGANG co-founders Mali and Alan Bacon to scale artist-centered initiatives nationally, with BUTTER LA marking its first project. Built on the foundation established by GANGGANG through five years of developing BUTTER in Indianapolis, BUTTER LA will be shaped by a curatorial team, advisory council, and producing leadership committed to amplifying Black artists while prioritizing access, arts education and community engagement in Los Angeles.

“BUTTER has always been committed to building systems of care and economic justice for artists across the African diaspora,” said Malina Simone Bacon, founder of BUTTER Fine Art Fair and co-founder of GANGGANG. “After five years of building and learning in Indianapolis, launching Stoodeo allows us to thoughtfully expand this work into new cities. BUTTER LA is our first step in bringing the model to Los Angeles in a way that is rooted in community, access, and long-term cultural impact.”

Leading the BUTTER LA curatorial team is Nakeyta Moore, founder of ARTLOUDLA, an arts advisory and collector’s support network, alongside creative directors and GANGGANG co-founders Mali Bacon and Alan Bacon, Jr. The curatorial team also includes curator, writer, and cultural force Kimberly Drew, formerly of Pace Gallery. Together, the curatorial team brings deep expertise in contemporary art, cultural criticism, and collector engagement, shaping a fair rooted in care, access, and cultural rigor.

“BUTTER is the eye of the storm; a place of intention, rare clarity, and a mission that wraps its arms around the Black creative ecosystem,” said curator Nakeyta Moore regarding the BUTTER LA expansion. “At a moment where the art world feels unpredictable and profoundly liminal, BUTTER offers grounding, community, and a North Star.”

New for BUTTER LA, is the support by an advisory council of respected leaders across art, culture, entertainment and creative strategy, including California-based art executive and strategist, Jacqueline Forbes; Khalil Kinsey, COO and chief curator of the Kinsey African American Art & History Collection; award-winning TV producer Kyra Epps, former professional soccer player Lauren Holiday; and renowned Indiana-based artist Samuel Levi Jones. The advisory council will help guide BUTTER LA’s long-term vision, artist care, community alignment, and impact within Los Angeles’ creative ecosystem.

“Los Angeles has been waiting for something fresh like BUTTER,” said Jac Forbes, BUTTER LA Curatorial Advisor. “There’s a hunger here for innovative cultural events that not only cultivate community, but also economic equity. BUTTER is a proof of concept globally that centers care and pushes us all into the future of fairs.”

The producing team for BUTTER LA will be led by Jonathan Coleman, a music executive and talent manager behind Kanye West’s Sunday Service with TV and digital producer Kris Simms. Josiah David Jones, curator and founder of Los Angeles-based gallery and creative agency Valence Studios, will lead partnerships, cultivating key relationships across the business and arts community. Curating all music elements and performances, Los-Angeles based DJ Qwess Coast acts as Sound Lead for the fair. Together with Stoodeo, the team brings extensive experience producing culturally significant, community-centered arts experiences at scale. 

While timed to coincide with Frieze Los Angeles, BUTTER LA operates as an independent, intentional platform, offering collectors, curators, and the public an opportunity to engage emerging and independent Black artists outside of traditional fair constraints through activations across the campus of Inglewood’s Hollywood Park. Taking place during Black History Month — as both a celebration and a call to remembrance — the fair will feature a diverse cohort of artists, with 50 percent of exhibitors based in California and 25 percent from the fair’s home state of Indiana. The remaining artists will be selected from cities across the United States and the global Black diaspora.

Tickets are currently on sale for BUTTER LA at Hollywood Park. Additional details regarding participating artists, programming, and public access will be announced in the coming months. For more information on BUTTER LA, visit https://butterartfair.com and follow the journey on Instagram at @butterartfair.

ABOUT BUTTER
BUTTER Fine Art Fair is a multi-day fine art fair founded by GANGGANG that centers the care and economic viability of Black visual artists. Anchored in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend, BUTTER serves as a new model for art fairs and a catalyst for career transformation. Aiming to sell or loan 100% of the exhibited artworks, BUTTER gives 100% of sales proceeds to the artists.

ABOUT Stoodeo
Stoodeo invests in long-term artist growth and sustainability while creating scalable, revenue-generating models that bridge cultural production with economic justice. STOODEO offers a new model for how art, culture, and capital intersect — rooted in equity, scalability, and integrity.

MEDIA RESOURCES
Media inquiries, including interview requests, advance tours, press passes and photography:
Keri Kirschner, [email protected], (646) 717-2848
Paris Tyler, [email protected]