Mr. Demetrius Butler is an avid art collector who has spent the last twenty years developing the creative capacity of emerging artists and consulting for art galleries across the world.
Influenced by his Southeast DC roots, Mr. Butler is cementing his place in the art world as not only an avid collector but as a creative director, cultural advocate and talent developer for emerging artists. To date, Demetrius has represented more than twenty artists and curated dozensof shows between Washington, DC, Los ‘Angeles, New York City, Hong Kong, and Madrid. Known for his eye for spotting emerging talent, Demetrius launched his career as a consultant with Blue Chip, focusing his talent on creating spaces to incubate emerging talent in local DC galleries.
Butler’s passion for art is rooted in its illimitable ability to make sense of complex stories and connect people across diverse backgrounds. As a founder of LeagueOTO, a digital space focused on highlighting exclusive art events and culture trends, Butler has amassed a global reach and influence with a following of over 100k subscribers. Through this platform Butler is amplifying underrepresented groups in art and cultivating a networking community for creatives that spans a range of industries, Featured in Artsy, Coveteur, Forbes, and Hypebeast and garnering praise from Beyonce's “Black Parade,” Mr. Butler's impact on the global art world is illustrated by LeagueOTO’s status as the go-to arts and design digital space for Black businesses.
Understanding the significance and the lack of diverse representation in the 1's art scene, Mr. Butler has been hyper-focused on curating culturally responsive art-centered opportunities for nontraditional art influencers across the city. As the Curator and Creative Director for Museum DC, Butler amalgamates fashion with art by innovatively displaying locally sourced artwork alongside luxury fashion displays. In direct response to what he and his community saw as a culture exodus, Mr. Butler founded Flee Market DC as a community hub for all things DC with an emphasis elevating authentic DC art and humanities. Flee DC created a physical platform for hundreds to participate in cultural activations ranging from dance recitals, art shows, to live band performances. Most recently, Mr. Butler collaborated with a local nonprofit to launch Art on the Rise, an art showcase and equity initiative to create economic opportunities for BIPOC artists east of the Anacostia River. Through this initiative, Mr. Bulter hopes to bridge the economic and race gap that excludes Black artists in DC from accessing resources to elevate their work.
Mr. Butler is a Ward 8 resident.
Contact Email: [email protected]
Commissioner Since: April 2, 2024
Current Term Ends: June 30, 2026