Building the Miami Art Scene

It is impossible to find a nonprofit organization that has had a greater impact on the Miami art scene than the Knight Foundation. It has donated a total of $86 million over a six-year period to provide funding to several key arts institutions and offer support to local artists looking to enrich Miami's culture.

One area where the Knight Foundation has had significant impact is in the Wynwood District. The Knight Arts Challenge led to the creation of an incubator for various Arts groups in 2009. It was opened inside the Light Box at Goldman Warehouse. Local arts groups were given performance space, gallery space and a shared office.

The Knight Foundation has helped foster the transformation of the Wynwood District into a hub for the arts. This personified with the presence of Art Basel Miami Beach, which uses the Wynwood District as one of its venues to showcase hundreds of works of arts to tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe. Benefiting from the presence of Art Basel Wynwood has become a must-see destination for art lovers everywhere.

One of the most recent developments will be the addition of more than a dozen artist-designed crosswalks to the Wynwood District. The first crosswalk, designed by Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, will be installed in front of the Wynwood Walls. 15 crosswalks are planned and each one will showcase original artwork from Miami-area artists. This is one more step in transforming a former industrial area into a pedestrian-centric neighborhood.

The Knight Foundation has played a major role in making all of these developments possible. It first demonstrated a serious commitment to supporting the Miami Arts with a generous $20 million donation in 2008 to fund endowments at the Miami Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the New World Symphony.

The Knight Foundation’s support also continues through the annual Knight Arts Challenge contest, which provides funds to the best ideas designed to enhance the arts in Miami and South Florida. This challenge has helped spur many of the positive developments for the art community in Wynwood and will continue to influence it in the near future.

Art Basel Venue in Miami

While the month of March may be a popular month for Miami Fashion week and Winter Music Conference it just doesn't seem to have the same effect as Art Basel Miami in December. Not only is Miami Beach packed with art buyers and visitors during the first week of December but so too in Wynwood and Midtown. There seems to be wave of change that Wynwood is about to embrace. Art shows such as Scope, Art Miami, Art Asia and Red Dot have had successful years in Midtown with enormous tents that house huge generators, lights and 60,000 sq ft of ply wood that lay across the floor. However Wall Mart is about to break-ground in the coming months once they get over a few hurdles.

With Wall Mart breaking ground in Midtown this year these Art Basel Miami shows will now have to think seriously about their next location. It seems obvious that Wynwood is the right choice for these shows. The vacant land in Midtown was a great short-term fix for these shows, however the time has come to think of different venues for Art Basel Miami.

Wynwood is the last district of Miami to be developed and this is what makes the area so attractive to investors. You get to be a part of the art movement and be apart of the Wynwood legacy. Wynwood has come leaps and bounds in the last two years. Real Estate prices are back to where they were in 2008 and WADA receives record memberships from new businesses that have opened up in the area. Art Walk also gives a tremendous boost to Wynwood. Art Walk takes place in Wynwood during the Second Saturdays, drawing in thousands of visitors including celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio that have been spotted recently walking through the Wynood Walls

It is clear that Wynwood is the best location in Miami for Art Basel Miami shows. Art Basel Miami shows in Midtown will have no choice but to migrate south to Wynwood. With this in mind Soho Studios prepared a map back in 2012 showcasing several locations of Art Shows that took place in Wynwood and Midtown. Soho Studios realized the importance of this discovery so that other businesses such as art galleries, artisits, and brand marketing companies can understand the district and possible venues for their Art Basel shows.

Take a look at JUSTMADMIA's Art Basel Miami show at our venue in 2012.

As the largest venue in Miami for Art Basel Miami shows, Soho Studios does't just host shows or events for Art Basel Miami but they also secure other venues in Miami for art galleries and brand marketing firms. With the right connections Soho Studios has established an amazing network in Miami so that others can discover new venues for their events and shows during Art Basel Miami.

If you are looking for a venue in Miami for Art Basel Miami please contact us and we will be sure to assist you in finding a great venue in Miami.