A visit to Miami Art Week can sometimes feel like one long Uber ride with a few stops at beachside tents and convention centers in between. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Just ask the city’s locals, like gallerist David Castillo and artist Antonia Wright. CULTURED canvassed 10 art-world mainstays with ties to Miami for advice on how to squeeze the most pleasure out of the city during the fairs. Here’s what they had to say.
Antonia Wright, artist
What are you most excited to see during Art Week this year?
I am excited to have an installation on view at the Pérez Art Museum Miami during Art Week, organized by curator Maritza Lacayo. I created State of Labor, an immersive sound art installation that contains over 100 sounds of women in childbirth, to protest the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Now that Amendment 4 failed and we have a six-week abortion ban in Florida, the piece generates profound conversations about the issue, and I look forward to talking with visitors.
Most surprising ABMB celebrity run-in?
One year, a night ended with my friend Alinka Echeverria and I going to Rock Bar with Benicio del Toro.
What's something every fair traveler should bring to Miami?
A bathing suit! People come to Miami and are so busy they don’t make time to swim in the ocean. It’s the best part.
What's a work of art that captures the essence of Miami for you?
Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s public artwork, Dropped Bowl with Scattered Slices and Peels, 1990, in downtown Miami.
Best place to escape the crowds?
Palma, a delicious new restaurant by my studio off the Miami River.
Anastasia Samoylova, photographer
What’s the most tangible thing Art Basel’s presence in Miami has brought?
Having lived in Miami since 2016, I can confidently say that Art Basel’s presence was pivotal in my decision to relocate here as an artist. I also owe my gallery representation to Art Basel’s Young Collectors Circle, which visited my Miami studio and opened doors for meaningful connections and support.
Best place to escape the crowds?
Artists’ studios! Miami has an incredible array of established artists with studios, along with hundreds of emerging artists in thriving residencies. Visiting these spaces offers more than just an opportunity to see art—it's a chance to connect deeply, learn, and get inspired.
What’s something people get wrong about the Miami arts scene?
The misconception that it’s just ‘local’ or confined to a specific demographic is completely inaccurate. The Miami arts scene is incredibly diverse, with artists who have international gallery representation and exhibitions across the globe. As an example, I’ll mention my own current exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which features my photographs from Florida alongside works by Walker Evans, on view through May 11, 2025.
What does the Miami arts scene need more of? Less of?
We need an artist residency-like program for international curators and art writers. This would allow writers to immerse themselves in the Miami art community beyond the hurried nature of art fairs, enabling authentic and meaningful engagement with local artists. A residency program like this could break down the glass ceiling many artists face, providing essential coverage and connections with national and international institutions.
David Castillo, gallerist
What are you most excited to see during Art Week this year?
It’s always exciting to get to see so much great art go up as each gallery installs behind the scenes. It still excites me when a great work gets unpacked.
Best place to escape the crowds?
The Miami Beach Botanical Garden. It’s an oasis directly across the street from the fair.
Best place for a power lunch?
Abbalé.
Bridget Finn, director of Art Basel Miami Beach
What are you most excited to see during Art Week this year?
I can’t wait to see Meridians in its new location on the show floor! You’ll encounter monumental works of institutional scale and caliber. This year, we have the incredible Yasmil Raymond curating this sector for the first time, and she’s bringing a fresh perspective focused on issues impacting people globally like climate change and contingencies of democracy. It’s certainly not to be missed. And outside the fair? Miami’s museums are stepping up with shows you can’t miss: Rachel Feinstein’s whimsical works at the Bass, powerful paintings by Calida Rawles and José Parlá at Pérez Art Museum Miami, and Lucy Bull’s dynamic show at ICA Miami.
Best place to escape the crowds?
A sunrise walk on the beach. At that hour, South Beach is still asleep, and you get the magic of Miami all to yourself.
Best place for a power lunch?
What's something people get wrong about the Miami arts scene?
Many people don’t realize just how rich and multifaceted Miami's art scene truly is. Beyond the glamor and excitement, there’s a deep commitment to meaningful, year-round programming. Galleries like Spinello Projects, David Castillo, Nina Johnson, Central Fine, and Fredric Snitzer are leading the way with diverse exhibitions featuring international artists. Miami also boasts dedicated artist residencies like Bakehouse Art Complex which foster creativity and innovation. Plus, the city is home to many influential and groundbreaking artists. Miami’s art scene is vibrant, thoughtful, and constantly evolving.
Reginald O’Neal, artist
What's the most tangible thing Art Basel's presence in Miami has brought?
The first thing that comes to mind is access. I think Miami is viewed as a place for vacation and fun, which allows our culture to be overlooked. But when Art Basel happens people from many parts of the world and industries are here and they’re paying attention and also connecting to the local community.
Most surprising ABMB celebrity run-in?
Best place for a quick coffee?
Best place to escape the crowds?
Morningside Park.
Best place for a power lunch?
B+M Market. Get ackee and saltfish roti with a sorrel drink.
What does the Miami arts scene need more of?
More unity. Our creative groups are a bit separated. There's so many events and projects happening year round. We need to all show up for each other to witness each other's contributions in real time to mix things together.
What's a work of art that captures the essence of Miami for you?
An artist who has devoted parts of his practice to documenting the pure essence of Miami is Terence C. Price II. His street photography captures Miami with poetic gracefulness and honesty. He has a large series that he captured in Miami just before the recent makeover was visible. You can see a Wynwood that was changed but still had family homes and no condos; historical landmarks like Carol Mart; Downtown, Overtown, and many other neighborhoods across the city.
Bernadette Despujols, artist
Most surprising ABMB celebrity run-in?
Chuck Close.
Best thing about Art Week? Worst?
The best thing is all the great shows. The worst is that you don’t get to see them all, and, of course, the traffic.
Worst traffic jam in the city during ABMB?
Being trapped in MacArthur Causeway for so long I missed the gallery dinner I was going to, only to U turn and be in traffic again going back home.
Best place to escape the crowds?
Coconut Grove.
Best place for a power lunch?
What does the Miami arts scene need more of?
More institutional support.
Anthony Spinello, gallerist
What are you most excited to see during Art Week this year?
I'm most excited to visit El Espacio 23. They will be presenting “Mirror of the Mind: Figuration in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection,” curated by Patricia Hanna and Anelys Alvarez, which features three of Spinello Projects's represented artists—Nereida Garcia-Ferraz, Jared McGriff, and Reginald O'Neal.
Worst traffic jam in the city during ABMB?
Outside the Rubell Museum during their annual Miami Art Week opening reception.
Best place for a quick coffee?
Panther Coffee.
Best place for a power lunch?
Hands down Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Miami Design District.
What does the Miami arts scene need more of?
Affordable studio spaces and housing for artists.
Rafael Domenech, artist
What's the most tangible thing Art Basel's presence in Miami has brought?
The financial impact beyond the art world. During the weeks leading to, during, and after the fair, a large workforce spanning from the service to the manufacturing industry is activated, and salary wages rise to supplement local income.
Best thing about Art Week? Worst?
The best thing is the magnetizing capacity to bring together people from all over the world. Since Miami is strategically located at the middle point between North and South America and is easy to get from Europe, it provides the perfect grounds for many circles to collide. And Miami's historic party scene makes it even more popular. However, this is also a convoluted conundrum because it sometimes renders Miami a fairground. Sometimes, it's difficult for outsiders to see past that, and then they dismiss a vibrant cultural scene.
Favorite satellite fair?
I always enjoy Untitled and NADA. They both offer different experiences. At Untitled, Omar Lopez-Chahoud has created a well-curated and balanced program of galleries and non-profits that presents beautifully under Miami's cutting sunlight filtered by the humongous tent. On the other hand, NADA offers a frenzy of risk-taking and new artists, and the high traffic crossing the narrow hallways makes it feel like a mercadillo in Central America. My favorite part of NADA is the artist publications section; you can find unique gems if you take your time there.
Best place for a quick coffee?
The best place for a quick coffee is any ventanita (small window on the side of a building) serving coladas, for which you pay $1.25. I am a diehard for Cuban coffee, whether it's a colada (an espresso shot with tons of sugar) or a cafe con leche. I love the endless smell of the coffee scenting the entire block and the foaming of the coffee from the rapid whisking. I enjoy the social aspects of gatherings on the sidewalk or small foyers to chat and drink a midday energy shot. The fact that the colada is always served to share is another accentuation of that aspect.
Laurie Rojas, critic
What are you most excited to see during Art Week this year?
As always, Art Basel Miami Beach exerts a magnetic pull. This year’s edition, with its reduced roster and influx of first-time galleries, promises a fresh perspective on global art—a recalibration of sorts. While it’s fashionable to dismiss art fairs as overwhelming marketplaces, I’ve always found them thrilling in their chaos. The spectacle is part of the charm, a barometer of the art world’s currents and contradictions. As a former art market reporter, I relish their kaleidoscopic sprawl—a whirlwind of trends, pivotal works, and the elusive “new” that defines each season. What makes the fair singular is its energy: a pulsating, shape-shifting nexus of discovery. When sales are brisk, the second day often unveils an entirely different landscape, underscoring the fair’s constant state of change. For all its commercialism, it’s a rare space where you might encounter a masterpiece that changes how you think about art—or even how you think about the world.
Best place to escape the crowds?
A stroll along the promenade, barefoot in the sand, is my favorite escape. There’s something transformative about reflecting on art while surrounded by Miami Beach’s natural beauty. Installation art at Faena, for instance, takes on an entirely different energy when framed by the ocean’s horizon and the vast blue sky. It’s a reminder of what sets Miami apart as an art city—no other place can juxtapose majestic contemporary art with such raw, tropical splendor. Whether it’s the ocean breeze or the lush landscape, Miami offers a kind of magic that even Los Angeles can’t match.
What does the Miami arts scene need more of? Less of?
Miami’s art ecosystem has notable gaps, especially in fostering intellectual dialogue and historical engagement. Cities like Berlin or New York benefit from dense networks of small institutions, bookstores, coffee shops, publications, podcasts and alternative art spaces that incubate ideas and spark conversations. Miami has made strides, but we’re still working to build those layers of connectivity where ideas can truly percolate and evolve. More experimentation and risk-taking is needed, but that is harder to do when the rent is so damn high. There’s a palpable hunger for deeper, more nuanced conversations—about art history, the trajectory of artistic practices, and even philosophical questions raised by art. On the other hand, Miami could use less of the provincialism and cliquishness of art-world “mini-mafias” and cold wars between various gatekeepers. These dynamics create unnecessary divisions between institutions, galleries, and artists, which creates stagnation. What’s missing is a collaborative spirit, multi-generational exchange—one that embraces Miami’s newcomers and potential for cross-pollination of all sorts.
Franklin Sirmans, director of Pérez Art Museum Miami
What's the most tangible thing Art Basel's presence in Miami has brought?
It has helped foster and accelerate the growth of an art community for the other 51 weeks of the year, most importantly.
Best place for a quick coffee?
Verde looking out at the Bay over to Miami Beach from PAMM’s East Portico.
Best place to escape the crowds?
A golf course, tennis court or a kayak in the bay. All relatively easy to arrange. Also, Clive’s Cafe.
What does the Miami arts scene need more of?
More collectors.
What's a work of art that captures the essence of Miami for you?
Christo’s Surrounded Islands, Michele Oka-Doner’s A Walk on the Beach at MIA and Edouard Duval-Carrié’s painting in the Delta gates area of MIA.
