In December, indulge your creative spirit and discover a world of art and culture at the largest art show of the Americas—Art Basel. This premier event attracts thousands to the multi-day extravaganza that spans more than 500,000 square feet and includes 267 leading galleries from North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, showcasing their best works.
Besides art, you'll find several amenities throughout the Miami Beach Convention Center that'll make your visit "baseling" more enjoyable, including two self-service restaurants, food markets and various cafés. For a special treat, stop in at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden across the street to sample food prepared by Miami’s star chef, Michelle Bernstein.
During Art Basel, art is not restricted indoors; there are more than 20 large-scale sculptures and installations by leading and emerging international artists installed in Collins Park and other public spaces around the beaches. Guided tours of Collins Park will be offered daily during show hours.
Visitors will find a robust schedule of public programs including outdoor movies at Miami Beach's SoundScape Park. If you are planning on attending Art Basel, keep in mind that there are some key rules and regulations to remember. There is a size limit (22ʺ×8ʺ×16ʺ) for all bags and briefcases, backpacks and umbrellas must be checked at coat checks located at entrances B and D of the exhibition hall. Selfie sticks, tripods, drones and video recording is also not permitted. Traffic can also be a major turn-off but the City of Miami Beach and the City of Miami have made great strides to ease traffic congestion between Art Basel and the satellite art fairs by offering free shuttle service. The East-West Loop connects the Miami Beach Convention Center with stops at Midtown Boulevard and 29th Street and Buena Vista Avenue and 36th Street, whereas the North-South Loop rotates through South Beach, Middle Beach and North Beach with stops at 10th Street and Washington Avenue, 41st Street and Royal Palm Avenue, 46th Street and Collins Avenue, and the North Shore Bandshell on 72nd Street and Collins Avenue.
Miami Art Week Satellite Fairs
Capitalizing on the momentum and attention that Art Basel has brought to the area, for many years now it has also signaled the start of Miami Art Week—as it is now called. Miami Art Week features over 20 satellite fairs celebrating the region’s rich diversity and the dynamic art scene. With nonstop events, parties and exhibition openings, it may feel overwhelming to decide where to go and what to do. To help, we've put together our guide of what to expect at some of the top art fairs.
Stop in at Midtown Miami to check out Art Miami, the city’s original and longest running contemporary and modern art fair and the anchor event of Miami Art Week, expect to find cutting edge artwork from international galleries, including modern masters and the latest in contemporary paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and prints from Europe, Asia, Latin America, India, the Middle East and the U.S. Make sure to catch Art Miami’s sister fair, CONTEXT next door too. A one-day pass ($40) provides admission to both Art Miami and CONTEXT.
South of Midtown Miami in the heart of Miami's Performing Arts District, you'll find Red Dot Art Fair and Spectrum Miami. Their convenient new location is at the corner of NE 2nd Avenue and NE 17th Street, just a short walk away from the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay hotel. Red Dot is a juried show that has distinguished itself for presenting some of the most affordable works of art from any other fair. This year's official café and VIP lounge is organized by Bocce Italian Grill providing Italian delights and artisanal cocktails sure to please.
Adjacent to Red Dot is Spectrum Miami, one of the largest shows during Art Week, featuring trend-setting artists and galleries as well as a curated selection of contemporary Cuban art through a collaboration with Arte Cuba. Don't miss their nightly parties held between 7-9 pm filled with live music, drinks and entertainment at the Spectrum Miami Patio and Sculpture Garden. Venture north to the Miami Modern Historic District (MiMo) for PRIZM. In its second year, this art fair promotes the work of artists of color, who reflect the African diaspora in contemporary art, through a blockbuster exhibit on display through December 13th and special programs with renowned speakers from Yale University and the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation.
An up-and-coming fair and a favorite among critics, Miami Project continues to delight visitors each year. With a move to Miami Beach's Deauville Beach Resort, Miami Project showcases mid-career and emerging artists, and gives fairgoers the opportunity to experience the art of pioneering artists of the 20th century shown beside the trendsetters of today.
After a full-day of art, visitors will be pleasantly surprised to find a pop-up bar curated by The Broken Shaker, recently named one of the best bars in the world. Bar Lab will offer a menu of specialty handcrafted cocktails made with elixirs, syrups and infusions made from garden herbs and spices, and fresh-pressed produce and exotic ingredients. If it is sustenance that you seek, try the farm-to-table dishes from a culinary pop-up from the owners of New York's popular Lower East Side eatery, Black Tree. During Miami Project expect brand new creations inspired from locally-sourced ingredients.
Follow the sand to South Beach to experience two distinct alternatives to Art Basel: UNTITLED and SCOPE. Located directly on the beach in a temporary space designed by New York architects, John Keenan and Terry Riley, UNTITLED is well-known for creating immersive, experiential environments amidst the thought-provoking work of mid-career and emerging artists. Here, you'll not only enjoy the art, conversations and performances broadcasted on UNTITLED Radio, but you can admire the architectural marvel of the temporary pavilion while you soak up some rays at the beach in the daytime or enjoy the restaurants and bars at night. UNTITLED will offer complimentary shuttle service to the Miami Beach Convention Center from 11 am to 6 pm. Valet parking will be available for $15-25 outside of the Hotel Victor, 1144 Ocean Drive.
Also on the sand on Ocean Drive and Eighth Street is SCOPE, celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, is the largest art fair with the most expansive global reach of emerging art in the world. With its partnership with VH-1, this fair is where music and art collide, giving you the perfect opportunity to listen to great music as you check out the works throughout the pavilion. Like many of the other tents offering lounges, cafés and performances, SCOPE is no different. It is the home base for the Heineken® Mobile Art Experience. Visitors will be introduced to the Heineken Art Project Lounge, a multi-sensory environment featuring streaming video content from the mobile truck, a large-scale mural, a Heineken bar, a Montana Cans display and selections from previous Heineken Art Projects.
Ready, set, start baseling!