Miami-Dade Prepares to Showcase Itself During Art Basel 

Clubs and restaurants as far north as Aventura are promoting Art Basel events, something to be expected with the influx of an international, well-heeled art collector crowd

As you read this editorial, the art world will be looking at Miami and Miami Beach as the Olympics of art fairs comes to town.

It was probably fitting that the New York Times first made the Olympics analogy regarding Art Basel. Comparing Art Basel to sporting events such as the World Series and the Super Bowl does not do it enough justice – those are only national sporting events. The Olympics is a coveted focal point for athletes, diplomats, media types and sports and athletic fans all over the world.  Similarly, Art Basel, originally started in Basel, Switzerland 35 years ago, is a show coveted by art collectors, artists, art distributors and agents all over the world. Three years ago, the organizers of Art Basel decided to hold a separate event centering in a place where it doesn’t snow in the winter time: Miami Beach. Well, actually, South Florida would be more accurate. Some of the largest events are held in Miami and Art Basel inspired art shows take place as far south as Key Biscayne and as far north as Palm Beach County.

This year, the SunPost has been flooded yet again with information on Art Basel-related events. And they aren’t solely limited to art galleries. Clubs and restaurants as far north as Aventura are promoting Art Basel events, something to be expected with the influx of an international, well-heeled art collector crowd (read: money). But why should clubs, restaurants, art galleries, museums and stores be the only ones to showcase events? The SunPost has press releases from interior designers, architects and realtors for their own Art Basel events. Development interests are also supporting Art Basel exhibits.

The growth of Miami’s art scene and the real estate industry are linked. Promoters of future condominiums downtown often highlight how close their projects are to the Performing Arts Center, the future Museum Park, and to nearby art collections and art galleries. As such, real estate interests have been quite supportive of the local arts scene – one of the benefits of this stage of the real estate boom. 

So why not time the opening of high-rise condos and market the space of the latest developments? Why not embrace the commercial aspect of the greatest showcase of cutting-edge art the world has ever known? 

Folks, enjoy the guilt-free (and practically impact free) exposure Art Basel is bringing us.  There aren’t many events like it.