Everyone has clothes on. Everybody got to eat. On the other side of that experience, uh there's an actual person
who can create something that makes people feel a certain way the most
and leverage this, you know, for the greater narrative of the city. We're so much more than uh the racing capital of the world.
Do you remember that moment where art made the biggest impact in your life? From South Bend to Evansville and everywhere in between, this is Get In, the show focused on the Hoosier State and the incredible stories happening here today. I'm Nate Spangle, founder of Get Indiana, and I will be your host for today's conversation. Before we get into the show, I need to remind you that today's episode is brought to you by my friends at NCW. You might remember when I had Dan Natalie on the show talking about how they built a national staffing and recruiting company over the past 25 years specializing in skilled trades. They are looking for new members to join their team.
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Today, my guest is Alan Bacon Jr. Yeah.
Yeah. The co-founder and president of Gang Gang, where he champions equitable opportunities for artists and creative entrepreneurs all across Indiana, but across the country.
Yeah.
Uh he is the co-founder of Butterfine Art Fair and played a vital role in the NBA All-Star weekend of 2024, curating. You were on the the arts committee.
Yeah. Art and culture. The art. Yeah. He's also the co-founder of Ide. It's a festival here with our friends at 45. uh his work has been featured in People magazine and Essence and recently, this is like in the past couple months I believe, you were recognized among Indiana's top 250 most influential business leaders. And he just told me one of the 400 most influential creators across the country.
Well, yeah. Now I feel like I I was gloating in that moment, but
Oh, yeah. I mean, sometimes you just Hey, you can't brag about yourself. Who's going to brag about you? Come on, man. I am honored to have you here in studio. I've heard so much about the work that you've done.
This is iteration five of Butter, the fine art fair, and I'm excited to talk a little bit about obviously how we can attend the fair, get involved in all that, but also what the work you're doing, uh the impact that it plays on Indianapolis, on Indiana as a whole, and and why the work you're doing is super important. So, Alan, welcome to the show.
Oh, thank you, man. Uh it's a pleasure being here. Thank you for having me,
dude. I am uh I'm excited. So, first thing we're going to talk we're going to cover is uh Labor Day weekend. Okay. Butterfine art fair. What are the things that people need to know about? Let's kind of like get out there of like what's coming up. What can we expect?
Well, butter fine art fair is just this holistic experience of of everything art and culture. So, it's really just the the density and the focus is uh is the art, the visual art, but I mean there's there's food, there's there's music, I mean it's going to be a festival uh atmosphere. I guess what what makes it different is 100% of of the proceeds and the sales go back to the artist. So there's that why component to you know why butter uh exist and some of the impacts that that we're able to uh uh have you know with within the art fair itself but it's grown. Is that non-traditional for art fairs?
That's nontraditional. That's non-traditional in for art fairs, for just art practices and in the sector fairs and galleries taking up to 40 50, you know, 60% from sales from from so like this model just allows us to test like what would equity look like, you know, what would it look like where we really challenge that dichotomy between value and worth um for artists and it's been working. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, so year one, uh, 2021, we thought we would get around like a thousand people to come out. Uh, but we, you know, had this notion of really supporting and just really highlighting, amplifying just local artists and, you know, got over 3,000 people that that first year.
Uh, and we sold over $65,000 worth of art in in that weekend. So, and that, you know, four years later, um, we it's about 12,000 attendees every year and we're close to, you know, going over a million dollars that have went back to artist hands or households.
No way. How many artists uh do you call it exhibit? Is that what you say? What would you say? Like what's the word?
There there's a different Yeah. Yeah. How how many artists are are featured in in Butter? So, we have um around like 40 to 60 uh exhibiting artists each year. So I mean just uh just a mean average. Like this year it would be 50 artists in Butterfly.
Yeah.
And it's like you're right around a million dollars. Like that's significant impact for these artists.
Holy smokes. Almost a million dollars across 50 artist and 100% of the proceeds go back to them.
Well, like 50 each year. So like so we we've had you know 50 uh well five different iterations of what a butter artist uh roster would look like for each Butter and we change curatorial team. So it's a different show every year. But yeah, I mean to your point, it's a it's a very it's it's a density where there's a large focus
and and this started here in Indianapolis, correct? Right. But now it's kind of gotten some uh some traction across the nation. I do think last year you did another activation in Los Angeles.
Butter spreads. uh you know, we we we've we've been uh fortunate enough to, you know, be in a position to to really see um just the the paradigm, you know, so successful here in in Indianapolis where there's, you know, interest in other markets and just, you know, it's cool to see this the mission of of butter uh uh to to spread and just like what we're trying to center, what we're trying to accomplish and um yes, Los Angeles has been a a very welcoming city. we've been able to touch down uh there and there's just a large interest for uh you know what butter can do in in other markets. So just really fortunate to have this opportunity to to spread butter.
So to spread to spread that's awesome. How will it be in two locations this year?
This this year we had planned we had a popup exhibition uh in connection with context projects.
Yeah.
Uh in LA earlier uh this month we'll be in Chicago uh later this month then in Art Basle uh in uh in December. So we that's that's our our out of market plans for the year and it feels good. Yeah.
I've spent some time down like in Windwood and like that area down in Miami like it's pretty cool like Art Basle is like the thing.
Art Basle and just experiencing shows. I mean you know we took a lot of those experiences and thinking how we wanted you know butter to present itself like here in this market. So it kind of feels like Art Basle but you know in the Midwest you know.
Well let's talk about that like back take us back to 2021 or sorry 2021. What was the ethos and the impetus to like put this first iteration of butter together back then
in in 2020? Just the the the foundation of of gang gang. If if 2020 was about what separates people, we knew that, you know, art and culture would be the thing to bring people together. So that was the the impetus and and nucleus of of what is gang gang. So I mean our mission is to uh center beauty, equity and culture in cities by activating creative economy. So I mean we get to test things.
We get to support artists. We get to tell uh cool stories. we get to think of, you know, what would we do to test equity in in a certain aspect of like the art world? How can we maybe level out the playing for how can we challenge this this notion and dichotomy between value and worth? I mean, so for us being an artist, Molina has had her entire career in in the art space and supporting artists and just wanting to do something to really um amplify uh artist in a way that uh maybe hasn't been done before, but with a different intention and why behind it, like mentioned the no commission fair, but also just to present art in a fashion where we're wrapping around so much of the sector. uh and just having just the visual art be the nucleus of but we feel like we can create something special and we did and it's has had some impact and it's just amazing to see just the growth of Butter but it's really a testament to um the local artists that we have here and and just how we're able to kind of um create this synergy and cross-section with the national talent as well.
Yeah. What have been some of the biggest milestones over the previous four butterfs that uh have been like big milestones for you all and what can we expect for the one coming up?
Yeah, I mean so having over $900,000 uh go back to artist hands and households is a is a feat and and this level of impact that you know is is probably going to be number one. I mean, because that's, you know, one of the reasons why we wanted to to to to have a a butter to to center the the care and economic viability of of of black visual artists. So, you know, seeing that uh needle move has been amazing. But seeing butter move and spread has been amazing and and that's that's a definite, you know, milestone. But, you know, going from, you know, 3,000 people year 1 to over 12,000 people, you know, within four years, uh, is something else that, you know, allows us to, you know, really get a notion on on not just how popular it is, but just, you know, how needed maybe, uh, the idea was at the time.
And so, 4xing attendance.
Yeah. Yeah.
Like that's that's a lot of moving parts, moving pieces. And to provide, I mean, time in and time out, you talk to people that attend Butter, it is an experience for sure. when you think about, oh, I'm going to an art fair, it's like, you know, you're looking at some pictures on the walls. Like, that's not entirely, right, what you're getting when you when you show up at Butter. Talk to us about like what we can expect when you when you attend, when you're going to go be part of this cuz it's a multi-day like it's a whole thing.
It's it's a multi-day. It's a it's a single ticket that gets you I mean, you can experience Butter uh you know, for three straight days. And I think just the beautiful aspect of Butter is just the people that are there. So it's it's one of those things that attracts, you know, so much diversity within just like people and just demographics and ages and genders. So I think, you know, just having that uh be familiar as it relates uh to butter. So I mean that's a part of the ethos.
But I mean the experience is everything from the most amazing uh thoughtprovoking art uh that that you will see from the most amazing and creative artists that you'll probably experience like very close up and personal. I mean, they're there with their art. Uh, you know, but we wrap around uh the festival with with food and, you know, this year I think we'll have over 50 DJs that are playing over the weekend. So, you
50 DJs.
So, you really get to experience like what is like art and culture in this dense uh place. We'll have uh Buddy Red, which is a national recording, you know, rock artist u you know, headlining this year. So, we're just really excited about just the growth of of of what is this new uh iteration of art fairs.
And and where's it going to be at?
Yeah. at the historic STS uh which is which is the the entrance the north um east entrance of the historic Indiana Avenue district. So it's cool that you know we're able to put butter there and also talk uh about just the history of art and culture in Indie. So there's a lot of people don't know about Indiana Avenue and just all the greats and just our our contributions to music worldwide. But
yeah.
Yeah.
Did you see uh MGK just
so like we're
we're setting we're setting up like butter. So, we're two weeks out from from Butter and we're just down there setting up and just like within 5 minutes there's like 300 people in line was like like butter starts in a couple weeks, guys. A little early. No, but uh yeah, just you know to figure out that like he was here just like just doing like a pop-up performance was
Do you know like how it like came together?
Have no idea.
I have no I just saw it on TikTok and I was like what the world
we were just there I mean just on campus setting up but it was kind of cool. you like slide through and
No, but um yeah, he he actually saw the pink building across the street and uh was like, "Man, what's in that building?" That's like seems so cool. He was like, you know, super interested. And then we painted uh it pink last year uh for Butter Four as a way to kind of open up a new exhibition space. So, it's kind of cool to kind of see some of, you know, those iterations and and and influences kind of
makes when you think about that, right? It's like you bring MGK who like he comes to the Stuts and he's at Turner's performing a show,
right? and he sees your guys' pink building and like, "Hey, there's there's something interesting going on there." Like, you know, and he's been, you know, obviously he's from like Cleveland, but has been to LA and has been to all these places and seen a lot of stuff. So, he's like, "Huh, like
there's something artistic. There's something going on there." And that's just a piece of as we continue to push the needle forward for
arts culture. You talked about equity in the city of Indianapolis, like the work that you're doing with both Gang Gang and with, you know, Butterfront Art Fair. It's important. Can you talk to us about when it comes to arts and culture like hers need to need to one be involved but also support attend get out there and do that like what is the h how do art fairs drive culture forward in a city
art drives culture in the world you know so I think everything that we experience you know from a daily there's food you know there there's fashion there's there's some type of visual art or beauty there's there's music and and sound so I mean so art is is around us all the time it's what feeds culture right so I I think it's this is enabling us to really um bring out the best of all of what that is and just kind of really dump it in a very dense place. So I think you know there's a lot of uh uh beauty equity culture learnings and and
all the things just like within just this environment of like what is art but you know being able to um really leverage it and and see it and just like look at art from the perspective of not being decorative uh but it's I mean it's a it's a basic need. I mean people people need art on the daily just to survive just to have a a quality of life and and you know having you know a a pathway to to create that at scale and also to invest in these artists which are entrepreneurs. I mean they're uh they're small businesses. It's an ecosystem that's developing
and growing that is kind of cool to be a part of.
One thing uh nationally I don't know if Indianapolis is known across the world as a hub for arts and culture. We are now
we're probably known as like a hub for pork tenderloin sandwiches and racing, right?
That doesn't mean just because maybe the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is like the the thing that people across the world think about when they think of Indiana, doesn't mean that there's not arts and culture here. And what you guys have, you've done a really good job of curating and bringing a lot of those local artists
uh into this space that you can like elevate some of those voices. talk to us about our Indiana, our Indianapolis arts and culture scene and talk about how maybe over the last 5 years Butter and and some of the different artists have helped change the perspective of the Hoosier State.
Well, I can maybe talk about just the last five years more specific, you know, large scale opportunities in recent history of this uh intersection of really like art uh culture and sports was, you know, March Madness. uh when that you know descended upon Indianapolis and um we were creative directors then I mean Gang Gang was a new organization but you know having the the buying from the city and just uh allowing uh uh you know this newly cultural development firm to be the creative directors of this thing
and wait cultural development firm
creative advocacy agency culture development firm it's the work that centers beauty equity and culture and I think but for us having that opportunity so we curated over 260 like live performances that happened within that four-week period. So, it was a great like test point of kind of like what this work can do just breaking the barrel for all the crabs, right? So, I'm just like how do we look at this and leverage this, you know, for the greater narrative of the city, which I mean to your point, we're so much more than uh the racing capital of the world. I mean, we were also known
for art and culture back, you know, during the Indiana Avenue days the 40s and 50s. So, there was a a great, you know, density of of what is, you know, culture and art there. I think you know this just allows us to um revitalize that spirit in a way and just kind of remind um ourselves and uh you know just the world of like you know who we are which is much more layered than you know a great amazing
Were you like born and raised in Indiana?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was actually like born in Bloomington. Parents were at IU at the time but you know raised and all the memories are are here uh Indiana.
Did you grow up in Indie?
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah.
Uh what high school? I went to Northwest High School for a couple years and I graduated from Pike High School.
You say Northwest, that's the Space Pioneers.
The Space Pioneers. Yeah. I don't know where the space came from, but yeah, we were
They're out there. Come on. Um, growing up in Indiana, did you feel like um you had to like travel to go find like stuff that f you saw you talked about how important art was. You said it's like a daily like this is part of life. Like you need art. Did you feel like it was here in Indiana or did you feel like you had to go and travel and go explore other places?
I'm an artist by trade. So, just, you know, being a musician and just having a rich family history of music and art just like embedded in the city. So, my one of my great uncle, his name is Trevor Bacon was one of the greats that played on Indiana Avenue. Played with the Lucky Miller band, Sister Rosetta Tharp, who we know is, you know, the god uh mother of of rock and roll music, my you know, pops uh, you know, gig with After Seven and some other casts like, you know, coming up. So it was art has always been a a mainstay aspect of of life for me and it's very accessible in the city. We have you know and and state we have you know a very rich history.
There's there's a point of time probably in the mid 90s where we had Michael Jackson, Babyface, John Melanchamp, Janet Jackson. We probably wrote like 60% of all the music that was happening within like a 10 year period if you think about like what was hot during that time. So, I think, you know, art has never been far, you know, from from our city, from from our people. It's just, you know, now we just have this microphone uh that we've created now that we're able to kind of get that voice out. Hey everyone, quick pause in the action to introduce you to Flutterman von Reese, a true hidden gem in Indiana, especially for all you watch afficionados out there. Founded by an Indiana State graduate from Batesville, this family-owned brand has deep pooer roots dating back to the 1830s.
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Like I'm not like a traditional artist. One thing that I know I just had a conversation with some some folks at the Harrison Center and they talked about the Heron High School is not necessarily creating the next generation of artists, but they're creating a generation of art patrons. you know, people that just like maybe they're not creators, but they can respect and understand art. What can we do as hooers to be better art patrons?
So, it it's going to a show, you know, going to a movie, uh, you know, buying a piece of art, like going to a local restaurant, hiring a graphic, you know, designer or artist, you know, uh, uh, seeing it seeing amazing like DJ performance, like supporting, you know, organizations like Decademics, which is a DJ school that we have here. Yeah, I'm about to go over to take some classes cuz I want to learn how to do a set
straight up, man. So, I mean, so we have all these gyms in the city that and just all these opportunities to tap in. So, it's just like you just don't forget that, you know, uh everyone's an art patron, you know, I mean, everyone has clothes on, everybody got to eat something every single day, everybody appreciates something that they hear or something that that they see. just, you know, just uh understanding that on the other side of that experience, uh there's an actual person that's making that thing or or saying those words or or writing that song and just how we just continue just to, you know, support and pour into that.
So, you said obviously you're you're a musician. Do you play? Do you sing? like what do you what's your
guitar and uh piano was maybe the the last couple that I was was gigging with but you know gig with a group called Chamber uh music for for a minute and uh not so much now uh but yeah so it's you know music has always been you know close and just yeah
do you remember that moment some point in your life that it's like you made this decision to have a career that's based around art and culture and equity here in Indiana. Do you remember that moment where art made the biggest impact in your life?
That wasn't really until like 2020. I mean, art has always been a part of my life. So it's it's hard to kind of separate, you know, the the two, but I think just from a career standpoint,
um yeah, it was everything that was 2020 that really sparked the uh the idea to move forward and, you know, also having a partner like, you know, uh Molina who was, you know, thinks the the same way and receiving the same download
cuz I mean you were in like IT and staff like you were in tech, you were in workforce development like those are I would not say workforce development is like a very artenriching career. No, no, it was Yeah. All all beautiful things, but yeah, it's very very far from uh you know, what is, you know, this just this creative environment. Yeah.
Well, talk us through what we can expect when you show up. Like, you know, I get my I show up at the studs
Labor Day weekend and I'm ready to learn, experience, eat. I'm ready to do all things. Like, take me through like what we can expect.
I I think I think it's all of that, man. I mean, you you're going to you're going to smell something amazing. you're you're going to uh want to experience just the just the the culinary offerings that we had this year.
Are there a few of those that like really stick out to you?
We have like an amazing partnership with uh with CRG Restaurant that we're really excited about, but also lifting up some local uh chefs and entrepreneurs. Um
is uh is Colin going to be out? Do you know Colin the world? He won World Food Championship. He's one of the CRG chefs.
I I hope he's on the roster. I think we've I mean they're getting their entire like chef network and team to to get behind what this thing is, man. So, we're excited to uh you know to work with uh with them and Mike, you know, Cunningham on what that experience is, but just also being able to lift up, you know, other uh like local entrepreneurs and and foodreneurs and it's all the things. So, I mean, so I mean, so you're expecting that as you as you enter Butter as well. And then there's there's all the music. There's over 50 DJs. There's there's 10 live acts. There's a headliner. And then
is there like a like a like a grand like a DJ? Let's say you were hosting like the most
lit crazy cool event here in Indiana. Who is like the pinnacle Indiana DJ?
We have probably dopest group and set of DJs that I would challenge any city
really.
Yeah, for sure man. So like we we have a very rich DJ culture here that we've always highlighted at Butter since like Butter one. We always kind of, you know, pay homage and, you know, to uh to that art form. But uh yeah, but and and you'll see a lot of beautiful things from the art installations and the uh and the stuff around the environment in the campus, but you know, the art itself, you know, just within the exhibition halls. I mean, that's that's always the the jawdropper. That's always the most talked about thing with butter. But, you know, the the feeling and the emotion that you get being around so much art and culture, but also just it's a very familiar uh tone because Yeah.
What are over the past four fairs? What have been like some of the most talked about pieces or activations or exhibits that you guys have seen at Butter
this year? Um, what we're introducing for the the fifth, you know, anniversary of Butter, which which is a huge year for us, like the first ever, uh, best and show award. So, we have uh the Allen Mills uh best of show presented by Everwise Credit Union that you know will be able to present that question uh out into a much more formal way as far as like you know what was like the the piece that uh that was like the most amazing show. But yeah,
what's so interesting about that with art is like it's all about like who can create something that makes people feel a certain way the most.
Yeah.
Like it's one thing like to you know talk about sports, right? like and we're going to get into that for a little bit here about like your guys' impact to through NBA All-Star and like kind of some of these cool things, but like you talk about like I've seen some pieces and different activations from from Butter in the past
and it's like wow, you create this thing and you're going to bring 12,000 people through here and you're going to make each of those 12,000 people feel something,
right? For sure.
Might be over ecstatic, a joy or just reflection.
Just reflection like deep I mean you you catch so many people in the in the deepest of thoughts. I mean you see so many tears like emotional tears from whether that's crying or laughing. I mean you get to uh exp and that's a full day like when you when you're like like being moved like emotionally like when you're seeing something beautiful when you're able to like experience I mean so much density of art and culture. I mean that is experience that um you know really is is is unique uh within itself.
I think that's super cool. Let's talk a little bit about what the impact that you played in NBA All-Star. So I've been indie since 2019. I'm from a small town and when I think about obviously happens things shut down right we start to come back
I feel for me NBA Allstar was the first time that uh indie felt like a Hollywood type of place right where like oh man the stars are out and there's like people taking over these other and like doing activations and Nike and all these popups and I mean arts and culture and being on that council are super important and that's a large part of like it's not just the WM or the NBA All-Star basketball game. Like there's all the extra stuff that goes with it.
Talk to us about the role that you all played in that and like Everweise presenting this best in show award this year. Talk about the way that corporate partners come together and in Indiana to help put these cool events on.
No. Yeah. Indianapolis is is the best at, you know, creating this this aggregate of uh public, private, philanthropic uh you know, partners together to to do a big thing. And I think, you know, for us, we were fortunate enough to be uh asked to uh to join the host committee and and lead the art and culture uh you know, component where, you know, we wanted to make sure that Indianapolis had a good show. You know, we wanted to be able to welcome people in a way that uh that really honored um you know, uh art and culture um that, you know, felt authentic that also feels like us. So we were able to get, you know, partners like, you know, Trice and Cargo Street uh street wear and and for nothing and how Hyde involved and and just all these, you know, different types of brands and makers and musicians and artists and just really, you know, present, you know, to the world.
I really at this point and that national audience like who Indianapolis is even under the undercurrents of what is this, you know, sports mecca crazy successful proof of concept um that we have been building, you know, over time. I mean especially within like the the last three or four years and we we've you know created this uh this modality where we can actually do something like that and then here next year here's WNBA Allstar and we're able to kind of just create uh that same sense of of magic with that intersection. And
was there a specific piece from either of those the NBA All-Star game or the WNBA all-star game whether it was a popup or an activation or an art installation or anything that just was like I can't believe this is happening in in Indiana right now. the WNBA and just like the time of year that that happened. I think it was just like a perfect aspect of just just weather and just feeling and emotion and just like just the that pinnacle of a way. So that was that was I think a really really good moment uh for the city. I mean it's it's cool to see like a like a first big win like you know March Madness or Super Bowl if you think about that from from time ago but recent history there's March Madness and there's NBA Allstar then there's W and it's to do all of them well.
Uh it's like it's it's hitting the 3P man. So, and and that's hard that's hard to do. You know what I'm saying? So, and just also just the Big 10 and shout out to Sports Corp and all the you talked about just the the different, you know, partners that it takes to, you know, for these things to happen. I mean, uh, Pac Sports Entertainment, Sports Core, you know, I mean, just, you know, we have those those pillar organizations that knows what it takes to do certain things and knows who to bring to the table to make sure that we can execute. That is one thing I've talked to a a decent chunk of people from around different whether it's IMS or Lucas Oil or Gamebridge or wherever and they're like
it is very collaborative like all of these partners work together versus like in other cities it's not necessarily because it's like my Colts
they're thinking it's Colt first pacers versus like it's all of us together come on.
Uh I did have that moment where I like I was like I can't believe this is in Indiana. It was after WMA All-Star.
We I went to the Gamebridge afterparty at uh Nevermore Bar. They took that thing over.
Yes.
Dude,
Carly Pierce played a set. Diplo. He's playing till 3:00 a.m. And I'm like from me to you to Diplo just like and he's just like going hard and I'm like what is going on right now? This is wild.
Yeah. It's like man like you couldn't even sneak into that many places over that weekend. There's so much going on. Yeah. Yeah.
And they're like what is it? Uh, Angel Reese tweets like Indy's like Miami right now or whatever. Like I was like, that's so sick.
Shout out to Naptown.
Yeah, it does seem like Yeah, you talk about hitting that 3P when it comes like sports and arts and culture and all the stuff there. We have a kind of a couple fun Indiana questions that we're going to round out the show with. Uh, before we get there, I do want to say like there are people that might not like it's like they're young. I I feel like my art appreciation has increased, especially like I've been a full-time creator now for, you know, a year and a half or so. So, I've like found like people, it's not just a video or it's not just a painting. It's not just a step. There are people putting a lot of emotion and time into these things, but it's taken me, you know, 26 27 years to find that appreciation, right? for people that may not have found that yet,
like can you talk through how we should be thinking about arts and culture in relative to our city and how maybe uh their perspectives? Obviously, you're not you're not going to like change everyone's perspective right here on a podcast, but just like ways that we could be thinking about embracing and elevating our our local artists. These are individuals that are contributors uh to society at a at a very high scale and mark that you know most times do not get you know their worth or or just do I mean so I think there's this aspect of you know how can we support sectors a starving artist on an entire sector is as crazy as as a moniker or a mantra it's you know they don't say that in advanced manufacturing or in the food space or agriculture it or AI just everything starving consultants out there.
Yeah. Like what's going on, man? So, I think help us change that narrative, you know, help us, you know, help people to understand that these are entrepreneurs, they're small businesses, and that they pay taxes and they have uh families that they support and they're contributors to, you know, just the elements of society that that doesn't get a as much of a shine or or visibility, right? So, I think it's it's that undercurrent of us, you know, just being good humans at the end of the day and just really understanding like how can we uplift each other in in the most authentic ways. And I think, you know, supporting the artists is is a good pathway to to do so.
As we kind of wrap up, we have some fun art in Indiana questions.
Let's do it. I'm I'm I'mma knock them out.
There we go. What's your favorite piece of art up across the city of Indianapolis?
The Keepers of Culture Mural um at 11th and Senate on the north side of the Stuts building, which is a beautiful piece. Indianapolis's or maybe the state's first 3D uh mural that was uh created by Ashley Nora,
the keepers of culture. That's sweet.
You said 11th and Senate.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. At at the um the the north side facing of the st first uh mural for butter one.
Uh as we keep going through there, who are some of the upand cominging artists that people need to keep their uh their eye on that are doing really impactful things for our city? There's a lot of artists that are featured in Butter uh each and every year that you know really um I think that you know people should get to know a little bit more.
You do a really good job of not picking any favorites and spreading the love to everyone.
You you literally try to get me in trouble man like every like there's at least three three questions. I was like if I say
Yeah. Well Beholder and we do have like such like amazing artists and chefs. I mean you mentioned like Beholder and Milk Tooth. Shout out Jonathan and but from a visual arts standpoint, you know, Gary G and there's Fitch and there's Ashley Norah, there's Da Craig, there's there there's so many individuals that um you know, Butters is is a good opportunity to to see it all in one space. You see the the the hardest, the dopest DJs that, you know, Indiana has to offer. Some of the most amazing chefs and, you know, visual artists uh as well, of course, and you know, live performances.
So, I think, you know, just uh by a ticket of butter, I think we we'll get a lot of answers. Here here's my here's my uh my pitch. Here we go. I'll go to academics. I'm going to take a year's worth of classes and then you can give me the worst st like the the like the 3:30 in the afternoon stage that no one goes to.
Nate, if if you go to Decon and take some classes, baby, we'll we'll put you on a roster.
There we go. Come on now.
One year 365.
Yeah. 360. Well, I got a two. So, like a little bit over 365. Like maybe 380.
You trying to pick the leap year?
Yeah. Oh, there we go. Um, is there a favorite? Uh you think about all the places. So obviously Butter is uh three days. Yeah. Labor Day weekend. Can you talk like time, logistics, things like that at Stuts?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So So it's a it's a three-day uh art fair. Uh it starts the 28th, which I think or 29th, which is the Friday, and and runs through uh the 31st, which is the the Sunday. So it's it's one ticket. It's $50. Um you only $50.
It's it's a $50 ticket, and that is only for adults. So, butter is free for 18 and and younger. We really like to honor just our next generation and allow them to experience um art, fine art, this density of art uh for free. So, that's something that we work to to make sure that can happen every year. But $50 $50 ticket, you get to experience butter three straight days. We have VIP packages. We have the uh the the dinner with the, you know, Cunningham Restaurant Group uh available this year. And just a lot of, you know, good good nuggets to experience.
Man, that's Yeah. every day 11 to 10:00 p.m.
Go down there. 50 bucks is I thought it would be way more expensive than that. And I'm not even just saying that. That's like my honest response there. Some awesome DJs rolling. 10th Street DJs. That's sweet. You have so there's literally so many. One of my favorite names just like DJ names.
Uh Metronome. It's like so sick cuz it's not like metronome like the dink dink dink. It's G N O M E. I love it.
Shout out Shout out to Nick Saliggo DJ Metronome. and also the owner operator of Decademics. So,
wait, is he really?
Yeah, that'll be your your be your instructor.
How did I pick that one out? Let's go. All right, we're going to talk DJ metronome. What's it Nick?
Nick. Yeah.
All right, Nick, let's make it happen. So, when when Butter's not
going on, there's a lot of interesting places to go and observe art or like, you know, about new fields and museums and this that and the other thing. Are there places outside of Labor Day weekend that people could go and where are your favorite place to explore art when it's not butter fine art fair? I think you maybe mentioned the Harrison Center like like earlier there there's so many different spots that you can go. First Fridays is is a good opportunity to to go see some amazing art whether that's at the CCC the Coca-Cola complex in the Harrison Center. I mean the arts council has things that are going on but there's also just organizations and main stays like you know Indiana Black Expo and Circle City Classic. There's all these types of things that has this density of of of culture and artistic expression that you know you you can you know find me there.
Yeah. If you could pick up one event,
Yes.
from around the world,
Yes.
and move it to Indianapolis, what would that event be?
I would have probably said something like Coachella, like
but like before I made rock and roll though. So that's like the new iteration of kind of what that is for me.
Yeah, I made rock and roll. Talk to us about as we wrap up. That's another uh I mean an awesome activation, an awesome festival that you do in partnership with our friends at 45 and Jenny. She's a previous guest. Go back and listen to that episode if you want to support local music. Uh what's uh what's going on with I made rock and roll?
Yeah. Yeah. We are in the throws of uh always planning this I made rock and roll doesn't stop. I it's a campaign to to celebrate and talk about um just the the creators of of the genre of music. So you know we are having a I made rock and roll presence this year at Butter and you know we'll have some exciting news to uh to share about IMA rock and roll here uh here soon. But yeah, shout out to our partners partners at 45 good friends over there. Final three questions we ask every guest that comes on the show all about the state of Indiana. Alan, you have been lots of different places all across the country and across the world. First thing, what's something that the world needs to know about Indiana?
Indiana is is much more than a uh dense place for amazing sports activation experiences. Like we are a art and culture hub and have some of the coolest innovation and art coming out of the city.
Yeah, that's that's awesome, man. This is your chance. You have to pick a thing. You have to have to pick a thing.
I'm not backing up,
but you get to to shed some light on something that more people across the state need to know about. What is a hidden gem in Indiana?
Just Indiana Avenue and just just that history and and just that heritage.
Indianapolis second most monuments to Washington DC, right? Like we are good of like honoring that heritage. I feel like that's a pretty cool fact.
Yeah. Yeah. My for sure, but als Yeah. and just just the just the you know what is and just our our history and music.
If there were like a few famous historical hooers that people like that really help shape arts and culture are there ones that people need to go research and learn about?
Yeah. Yeah. I mean just I mean yeah all the great Indiana Avenue Trevor Bacon, Freddy Hubard, West Montgomery, you know, but of course there's Michael Janet uh John.
I think I need to do a full deep dive on Indiana Avenue.
Oh my god. Yeah. Yeah.
I know Samson does a whole walk and talk on that.
Shout out to Samson and walk and talk. He's our historian in all the ways and helping to, you know, produce, promote, and preserve, you know, culture. But yeah, Indiana Avenue, there's so much richness in our history in art and culture and and music and just, you know, what fortunately enough for us, we get to to honor in a very unique way. Now,
final question. This is where we find new guests or people that we that we need to know about here in Indiana. Who's a Hoosier that we need to keep on our radar? Someone who's doing big things. Jawan Nelson is a local uh director, videographer, producer, filmmaker uh that has been making some waves just just nationally just with his uh film projects. Just one of the uh March Madness, he was a videographer there, but I mean you're going to see that name uh in a lot of places as it relates to film. Um he already is, but even more. So Dwan Nelson, be on the lookout.
That's awesome, man. Alan, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing a little bit about uh But this is Butter Five. Butter five
coming up August 28th through the 31st
at the Sts.
Yes.
Starts at 11:00 a.m.
Get your tickets.
Runs until 10:00.
$50 tickets. That's good. All weekend.
All weekend. You can you can come as many times as you want.
Holy smokes. I mean, what do you That's a full Yeah. Everything you need for Labor Day weekend. Uh appreciate it. If people want to connect with you, if they want to learn more about butter, if they want to do any of that, where can they do that at?
Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, gangculture.com, butterfrey.com. So, just, uh, look us up. We're on IG very heavy. I mean, especially right now if if you're on social media, but uh, would love to have you grab your tickets and, uh, look forward to seeing everybody Labor Day weekend.
Awesome. Thanks for coming on, Alan.
Right on. Thanks, brother.
Thank you for listening to this episode of Get In. If you like what you heard, make sure you leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. This show is made possible by our friends up at Sweetwater. Whether you're looking to start a podcast or take your content to the next level, click the link in the description to see all of my gear recommendations at sweetwater.com. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at everything we're doing across the state, make sure you follow me on Instagram and Tik Tok @ Nate Spangle. Thank you so much for listening and being part of what makes the Who's Your State great. We'll see you next time here on Get
