MIAMI — There’s nothing like Miami Beach when Art Basel is in town — the eye-popping installations, the VIPs and celebs at every turn, and that see-and-be-seen vibe.
This year, the annual international art fair returned to the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) Dec. 8-10 with 277 on-site galleries, in addition to shows from museums and private collections. Leading art patrons and private collectors from 92 countries attended the fair. In all, as the anchor event of Miami Art Week, Art Basel drew 79,000 visitors to Miami to attend the festivities, soak up the sun and party all night alongside the many celebrities. This year’s sightings included Shakira, Leonardo DiCaprio, Janelle Monáe and Cindy Crawford.
“Art Basel Miami Beach’s remarkable success is a testament to Miami and Miami Beach’s commitment to cultural diversity and artistic excellence”, said David Whitaker, President and CEO for the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Each year, the world witnesses how Miami and Miami Beach seamlessly blend art, culture and innovation, which also serves as an ideal backdrop for the meetings and conventions industry. In the same way our destination captivates with creative energy during Art Basel Miami Beach, it sparks inspiration for meetings and fuels collaboration in the business world.”
The Miami Beach event is considered Art Basel’s “Americas” fair (other locations are Basel, Switzerland, where it was founded; Paris; and Hong Kong) and drew its inspiration from Miami’s position as a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. Speakers included Cuban-born artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons; collector, curator and philanthropist Estrellita Brodsky; and singer-songwriter, producer and activist Chance the Rapper.
“The Miami Beach Convention Center has been the home of Art Basel Miami Beach for 21 years, and this year’s event was immensely successful,” OVG360’s Freddie Peterson, General Manager of the MBCC, said. “I’m extremely proud of our MBCC team, venue partners, contractors and our close partners at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of Miami Beach and of course our amazing customer, Art Basel Miami Beach. Year-round planning and close collaboration on site brought the largest international art fair to life, while providing first-class services, unique culinary experiences and best-in-class event logistics.”
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While contemporary art is the draw, the tens of thousands of people who attend Art Basel are also there to take in the warm weather, dine at the city’s world-class restaurants and party all night at the clubs. It’s estimated that the fair had an economic impact of $500 million, and Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber has been quoted saying that more private jets show up to Art Basel than the Super Bowl.
“Art Basel Miami Beach has once again proven to be the pre-eminent art fair in the Americas,” Vincenzo de Bellis, Director of Fairs and Exhibition Platforms, Art Basel, said. “The quality and ambition of works presented at the show this year were nothing short of extraordinary, met with an exceptional attendance of local and international collectors. New galleries and concepts and a redesigned floorplan brought an injection of freshness to the show, amplified by the rich offering across Miami Beach’s flourishing cultural landscape. The show’s impact on the region is simply undeniable.”
Art Basel will take place Dec. 6-8, 2024, in Miami Beach under the direction of Bridget Finn, who was just appointed Director, Art Basel Miami Beach.
Reach Freddie Peterson at Freddie_Peterson@miamibeachconvention.com; Vincenzo de Bellis at vincenzo.debellis@artbasel.com
