Miami's Art Festivals

Art Basel Miami Beach

The most prestigious of the art shows in the world, Art Basel Miami Beach has legitimized the city as a hot spot for modern art. During the first week of December, Art Basel takes over the Miami Beach Convention Center with over 250 international galleries showing established artists (Picasso to Roy Lichtenstein) and up-and-comers (Barry McGee to Bosco Sodi). Each year, 50,000 chic art enthusiasts attend the four-day event, which spans traditional booths, panel discussions, high-profile cocktail parties and performances.

Expect some of the wealthiest people in the world—from moguls to musicians—decked out in perfectly tailored ensembles, clutching champagne glasses and discussing their homes in Aspen, St. Barth and St. Tropez. Notable celebrity attendees over the years have included Brad Pitt, Kanye West, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Naomi Campbell and Owen Wilson. It’s all part of the heady atmosphere of Art Basel Miami Beach, which makes for amazing art- and people-watching. All are welcome, however, from young, budding artists to octogenarians with an appreciation for the abstract.

Art Basel Miami debuted locally in 2002 as a spinoff of the original Art Basel, which began in Switzerland in 1970. There is now a sister fair in Hong Kong, too.

Design Miami

Design Miami elevates furniture, lighting and architecture to an art form. It’s an interesting satellite fair and companion to Art Basel Miami Beach, with influential design pieces spanning 1900 to present day. Many of the designers were architects, too, or notable names in the industry such as Charles Eames, Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Michael Graves, Pierre Jeanneret, Jean Prouve, Herman Miller and Wendell Castle. Then there are more recent examples, such as flea market staples painted or lacquered over.

Design Miami is about the melding of art and functionality. Imagine whimsical, tufted chairs that look more like a sculpture than home furnishing. Or wobbly tables comprised of shredded paper. How about a high-technology chair made by car company Audi? Design Miami doesn’t just touch on the hyper-functionality of furniture, there are also featured wearable objects like jewelry by artists better known for their famed canvas work (Dali) and up-and-coming experimental jewelers (Delfina Delettrez).
Scope

Scope, a satellite fair during Art Basel, brings art to the other side of the Causeway in a tented space by Midtown Miami filled with culture as far as the eye can see. At 80,000 square feet, it truly is huge. Scope is regarded as a more cutting-edge happening and less a traditional art fair. It covers everything from artwork to fashion, film, music and performance. And since it is smack-dab between the Design District and the Wynwood Arts District, the vibe is more hipster and open-minded. Appropriately enough, Scope is also a launching pad for new artists. Art-lovers are able to discern emerging trends in the worldwide scene after walking the vast fair.

Art Wynwood
Capitalizing on its status as an Arts District, Art Wynwood is relatively new to the festival scene. However, it has flourished since its debut in 2012. Last year, the fair attracted over 26,000 visitors. The five-day event coincides with President’s Day Weekend, and features over 70 exhibitors in a 100,000-square-foot tented pavilion. The emphasis is on emerging, avant-garde works, and spans sculpture, paintings, video, photography, new media and street art from all over the globe. Although the low-key atmosphere is befitting of the graffiti-clad neighborhood, there are also Warhols and Calders for sale. It’s truly an eclectic culture clash, and proof that Wynwood is maturing.
Coconut Grove Arts Festival

The longest-running art fair in Miami, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival began in 1963 as a cultural experiment. Today, the 50-year-old event attracts over 120,000 people, who value the unpretentious, local vibe. You don’t have to be an art expert to appreciate the more artisan, handcrafted approach the Coconut Grove Arts Festival takes. Nor do you have to be wealthy, as the prices are very wallet-friendly.

Over 360 artists show each year in mixed mediums that span glasswork, painting, photography, digital art, printmaking, jewelry and sculpture. The waterfront celebration is perfect for families, couples, hipsters and first-timers. Plus, there are street-food purveyors selling favorites like funnel cakes and arepas, as well as more gourmet cooking demonstrations. The Festival takes over the streets of Coconut Grove for three days every President’s Day Weekend (the middle of February). It is a lively, not-to-be-missed, integral part of Miami’s art scene.