INDIANAPOLIS (July 1, 2026) – Returning for its sixth year, BUTTER Fine Art Fair powered by AES Indiana and presented by SomeraRoad is excited to exhibit 53 emerging and established Black artists from Indiana and around the world. Through painting, sculpture, wood, metal, paper, and mixed media, this year’s contemporary artists will transform their lived experience into tangible form. Whether abstract or representational, the more than 200 works draw from personal memory and cultural history, affirming identity, resilience, and the power of remembrance at a time when connection matters more than ever. 

Taking place over Labor Day Weekend at The Stutz building in downtown Indianapolis, BUTTER is set to surpass $2 million in artwork sales this year, welcoming 10,000 guests across four days for an immersive fine art fair experience focused on “hope for salvation.” The 2026 fair will present work from 27 Indiana-based artists and 26 national and international artists.

BUTTER 2026 EXHIBITING ARTISTS

• Alexandra Antoine — interdisciplinary visual artist whose practice draws on Haitian heritage, food, farming, and Afrikan diasporic traditions to foster cultural connection.
• Mason Archie — distinguished Indianapolis-based realist painter whose classically inspired works demonstrate exceptional technical skill.
• Paul Bacardi Smith — Detroit-born multidisciplinary artist whose expressive oil paintings draw on personal healing, storytelling, and artistic family legacy.
• Chace Cimone — Hampton University oil painter whose vibrant portraits celebrate the beauty of the Black experience while advancing arts access and healing through community advocacy.
• Lavett Ballard — New Jersey-based mixed-media artist whose layered works on reclaimed wood examine the histories, identities, and lived experiences of Black women and people of African descent.
• Lyndy Bazile — painter whose work celebrates diverse identities while drawing on her Haitian heritage and spiritual practice to uplift historically marginalized communities.
• Shenequa Brooks — Afro-Caribbean multidisciplinary artist and educator whose woven textile works draw her Ghanaian heritage and traditional craft to tell stories of identity.
• Brandon Barry Brown — classically trained oil painter whose portraits celebrate the beauty of Black and Brown people through traditional techniques and contemporary perspectives.
• Brandon Clarke — Miami-based artist whose layered works investigate Black identity, memory, and overlooked histories. Clarke’s pieces incorporate materials like handwritten letters, maps, burlap, and roofing tar reimagined in unexpected ways to illuminate the nuanced experiences of Black Americans.
• Ashley Cole — LA-based mixed-media artist whose sculptural, abstract paintings combine textiles, gesture, and layered symbolism to explore memory and resilience.
• Michael Coppage — conceptual artist whose interdisciplinary practice examines race, language, and identity through socially engaged projects and public art.
• Deonna Craig — Indianapolis-based visual artist, educator, and community leader whose work and leadership at BUTTER advance creative storytelling, cultural engagement, and arts advocacy.
• Tashema Davis — oil painter, educator, and visual storyteller whose expressive works celebrate the resilience, healing, and lived experiences of African American women.
• Nyzere Dillon — Brooklyn-based Jamaican-American figurative sculptor whose clay works celebrate the African diaspora through emotionally resonant explorations of identity, heritage, and resilience.
• Mike Epps — Indianapolis-born multidisciplinary creative whose visual art extends his celebrated career in entertainment through works rooted in storytelling, cultural memory, and personal expression.
• Kelani Fatai — Nigerian figurative painter whose vibrant works celebrate Black identity, resilience, and cultural pride through bold color, layered textures, and storytelling.
• FITZ — self-taught Indianapolis mixed-media artist whose surreal, pop culture-inspired works blend cartooning, abstraction, and expressive storytelling.
• Heaven Frans — visual artist, informed by her Ghanaian heritage, whose paintings and digital works celebrate people of color through emotional explorations of identity, representation, and the human experience.
• Gary Gee — mixed-media artist, sculptor, muralist, and educator whose work draws inspiration from travel, music, and urban culture to create vibrant ceramics and community-centered art.
• Dennis Green — self-taught Indianapolis sculptor whose work transforms metal into expressive artworks inspired by a lifelong passion for art and industrial craftsmanship.
• Al-baseer Holly — multidisciplinary visual and musical artist whose layered collage works blend personal narrative and cultural references to explore identity and memory.
• JaTaiRee Hudson Jr. — Austin-based figurative oil painter whose narrative works examine faith, personal accountability, and spiritual transformation through portraiture.
• Eric January — multidisciplinary artist whose sculptures, paintings, and found-object works explore Black memory, migration, and cultural history.
• William Jihrel Smith — painter whose layered works combine personal archives, industrial processes, and abstraction to explore the intersection of memory, material, and lived experience.
• Julian Jamaal Jones — Indianapolis-based multidisciplinary artist whose vibrant, quilt-inspired works reimagine Black cultural traditions through abstraction, photography, and textile practices.
• JiggyKorean — multidisciplinary artist whose signature “Dramatic Pop Art” blends bold visual storytelling with influences from music, technology, and contemporary culture.
• Blake Lenoir — Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist whose surreal, symbolic works examine the Black experience, generational cycles, and contemporary society.
• Shaunt’e Lewis — award-winning Indianapolis multidisciplinary artist whose bold, colorful illustrations, fiber art, and designs celebrate identity.
• Faheem Majeed — Chicago-based artist, educator, and curator whose sculptures and installations transform overlooked materials and public spaces into explorations of history, community, and cultural value.
• Cristina Martinez — Seattle-based painter and muralist whose portraits and abstract works celebrate the resilience and beauty of Black and Brown women.
• Kenny Mason — dynamic mixed-media artist whose bold, graffiti-inspired portraits combine expressive mark-making, vibrant color, and unconventional materials. 
• Marryam Moma — Atlanta-based multimedia artist whose layered collages and mixed-media works explore Black identity, femininity, spirituality, and cultural memory through an architectural lens.
• John Moore — Indianapolis-based multidisciplinary artist whose work combines traditional craftsmanship and public art to explore identity and social change.
• b. Robert Moore — self-taught multidisciplinary artist whose emotionally charged works examine the African American experience through identity and socio-political reflection.
• Ashley Nora — multidisciplinary visual artist whose paintings, murals, and sculptures reimagine classical iconography through a contemporary Black lens, exploring themes of divinity and legacy.
• Andre Parnell — muralist, designer, and activist who creates public art, graphics, and educational work that preserves neighborhood histories and strengthens community.
• WildStyle Paschall — multidisciplinary Indianapolis artist whose work spans photography, graphic design, music, writing, and performance to celebrate Black culture.
• Omar Rashan — multidisciplinary and neuro artist whose immersive paintings, mixed-media works, and augmented reality experiences explore cognition, emotional memory, and human connection.
• Kyng Rhodes — painter and former graphic designer whose vibrant, spiritually inspired works use symbolic imagery and portraiture to spark reflection, joy, and dialogue.
• Rebecca Robinson — award-winning mixed-media artist whose innovative use of concrete, tar, and cyanotypes creates textured works that inspire dialogue and strengthen communities.
• Marcus Robins — Chicago-born, Indianapolis-based oil painter who combines classical Flemish techniques with contemporary portrayals of African and African American identity to create detailed, narrative-driven works.
• Ash Robinson — multidisciplinary artist whose vibrant portraiture and mixed-media works celebrate Black identity, resilience, and empowerment.
• Amber Robles-Gordon — interdisciplinary visual artist, educator, curator, and advocate whose nationally and internationally exhibited work includes extensive public art, teaching, and community engagement.
• Kellie Romany — abstract artist whose sculptural paintings use skin-toned palettes to examine race, human connection, and the systems that shape our shared experiences.
• Mechi Shakur — Indianapolis-based self-taught artist and muralist whose paintings blur reality and imagination while addressing social issues and personal expression.
• Benoit Soulaan — Indianapolis-based painter and Herron School of Art and Design student whose evolving practice reflects his passion for painting, museum studies, and contemporary visual art.
• Sulyiman Stokes — Chicago-based self-taught interdisciplinary artist whose photography, music, and multimedia practice documents Black life and liberation.
• Norman Teague — Chicago-based designer and educator whose furniture and community design projects combine locally sourced materials with thoughtful craftsmanship.
• ThanksTheodore — a multifaceted artist drawing influences from Chicago and art during his youth, including painting and airbrushing. Theo’s resourcefulness in repurposing discarded materials into art has become central to his creative identity. 
• Kevin West — Indianapolis-based contemporary abstract and portrait artist whose vibrant mixed-media works celebrate Black culture and resilience through color.
• Felicia Rachelle Wheeler — Memphis-based visual artist whose ceramic, beadwork, and fiber-based practice honors Indigenous and African traditions while advancing art equity and representation.
• Dwight White II — global artist working across painting and large-scale installation through a sculptural, cubist-influenced visual language.
• Tanía Wineglass — artist, educator, and curator whose decades-long practice combines exhibition, public art, and teaching to foster creativity and community engagement.

Since its inception in 2021, BUTTER has welcomed 65,000+ attendees including more than 15,000 young people as part of BUTTER’s free admission for 18 and under policy. In six years, BUTTER has made an undeniable impact on the art world and the Indianapolis and Inglewood communities, welcoming 26 curators and 281 contemporary artists who have sold more than $1,500,000 worth of artwork, including 28 BUTTER artwork acquisitions by 16 major institutions for permanent collections. 

Tickets are now on sale at www.butterartfair.com. General Admission Daily tickets are $40 per person which includes one-day access, VIP Weekend tickets are $75 and include three-day unlimited access on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Preview Night tickets are $150 for Thursday night which includes return access throughout the weekend.

BUTTER is made possible because of support from generous organizations and individuals like

A Couple Cooks, AES Indiana, Aqua Systems, Ash & Elm Cider Co., Barnes & Thornburg,  Bohall Design & Fabrication, Bone Dry Roofing, Business Furniture Co., By Design, C2 Media, Cunningham Restaurant Group, Downtown Indy Alliance, Elements Financial, Eli Lilly and Company, Enterprise Mobility, Everwise, Hi and Mighty, IMS / Penske Entertainment, Indiana Sports Corp, IndyGo, The Indianapolis Foundation, IU Health, JO Financial Management, Johnson Jensen Williams, Lumina Foundation, Mays Chemical, Nomad Coworking Studio,  OUTFRONT, Printing Partners, Purdue University in Indianapolis, Riley Children’s Foundation, SIMPLICITY Juice, SomeraRoad,  The Alexander, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Visit Indy, Wormser Casey, and Yelp Indy.

ABOUT BUTTER
The place where you can be yourself, BUTTER is a multi-day fine art fair that features artwork made by Black visual artists from Indiana and across the country. As described by Ebony, Forbes, and The New York Times, BUTTER serves as a new model for economic justice in the arts, aiming to sell or loan 100% of the exhibiting artworks, giving 100% of the proceeds to the artists.

ABOUT GANGGANG
GANGGANG is a cultural development firm based in Indianapolis working to improve economic value behind artists and the culture they create. Through programs like BUTTER Fine Art Fair and public art collaborations, GANGGANG opens doors for artists and changes how cities invest in the culture their artists make. For more info, visit www.ganggangculture.com or follow on social media @ganggangculture.

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