The Main Art Event: Art Basel Miami Beach

As the most popular contemporary and modern art fair in North America, Art Basel has called Miami Beach home since 2001. The event includes more than 250 art galleries covering over 30 countries. It will be held from December 1st to December 4th at the Miami Beach Convention Center this year.

Many of the top Miami area galleries have made their way to Art Basel including Spinello Projects and Fredric Snitzer Gallery. For many, Art Basel is one of the most exciting times of the year in Miami Beach. The event attracts an international crowd including artists, collectors, gallerists and visitors to the South Beach area.

Satellite Events

Along with the main Art Basel event, there are many satellite events and fairs throughout the area. Over 20 fairs will be held throughout the entire Miami area from Downtown all the way to Midtown. The Design Miami event will also be held during Art Basel, which is now considered the sister festival to Art Basel Miami Beach.

Many of the top galleries and museums also hold their own events throughout Art Basel. Miami also becomes full of parties featuring the velvet rope. Nightclubs full of celebrities, pop-up clubs and plenty of other hot spots in South Beach and all over Miami will provide incredible events during Art Basel Miami Beach.

Art Basel History

Art Basel Miami Beach is actually the sister fair to the original Art Basel event, which was founded in 1970 in Basel Switzerland. The Miami Beach event takes advantage of the unique Miami location, which provides both North American and Latin American culture. Art Basel actually has a third fair in Hong Kong, which started in 2013.

The Miami Beach event covers about 500,000 square feet of exhibition space different sectors including:

·         Galleries

·         Edition

·         Public

·         Film

·         Magazines

·         Edition

·         Kabinett

·         Nova

·         Positions

Each sector makes it easy for visitors to enjoy the event and navigate the exhibit floor. The Public sector is one of the most engaging. It's set at Collins Park and has been in collaboration with Bass Museum of Art since 2011. The sector includes outdoor sculptures, performance art, installations and more.

Tips, Details and Tickets

There's plenty of ground to cover at Art Basel Miami Beach. It can be a very overwhelming experience with satellite fairs, events and plenty of parties, as well. Make sure to pace yourself and prioritize what you see and do.

If you're new to the event, it may be best to focus on the main Art Basel event. You may want to choose just a couple of satellite fairs or parties, as too many events can easily get overwhelming.

The event actually starts on Wednesday, November 30th, but the first two days are by invitation only. November 30th features the First Choice and Preview events, while December 1st features the Vernissage event, which is also by invitation only.

Starting on December 1st, the event is open to the public from 3pm to 8pm on Thursday. Friday and Saturday, the event is open from 12pm to 8pm and on Sunday it's open from 12pm to 6pm.

Tickets for the event are $55 for a one=day ticket. A permanent ticket allowing admission for all four days is $115. You can also purchase a combination ticket allowing entry to both the Art Basel event and the Design Miami events for one day each, which is $60 online or $65 at the event. Discounts are provided for students, seniors and groups of 10 or more.