Here are events celebrating artists of color during Miami Art Week
Art of Black Miami hits a milestone this year celebrating ten years. In 2014, AOBM was founded to showcase Black artists who were often overlooked and to give visibility during Miami Art Week. From panel discussions to live music performances to art workshops and more, there are enough activities to keep any art enthusiast occupied.
Connie Kinnard, senior vice president, multicultural tourism and development for The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau says that through Art of Black Miami’s partnerships with local artists, she has seen the impact the initiative has made.
“We couldn’t have Art of Black Miami without our community arts,” says Kinnard. “We’ve heard that it has really helped some of the artists to expand their reach, to expand their platform and to expand who some of their customers are.”
Though Miami Art Week is a great time to explore these different programs and learn about these artists, locals can do it any time, says Kinnard.
“One thing to remember is that Art of Black Miami is it is a year-round platform,” says Kinnard. “Art and culture is a big part of Miami and a very important piece of our destination. And specifically (Art of Black Miami) is a good, unifying cross-cultural program, and you can enjoy it and it doesn’t matter who you are. And although Art of Black Miami is an elevation of artists in art that touches the Black diaspora, it is for anyone.”
Here are some of the events that highlight artists of color during Miami Art Week.
The Point Comfort Art Fair + Show
This year, Hampton Art Lovers is presenting “One Night Stand!,” a photography exhibit of musicians who played in clubs and bars and restaurants in the Overtown area, explains Norwood.
Inside the Ward Rooming House, “One Night Stand!” showcases the work of photographer Greg Clark, displayed alongside oral histories, which are meant to preserve Overtown’s cultural heritage in partnership with FIU Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab. Outdoors in a tented space, the gardens will exhibit works by contemporary artists Solomon Adufah, Adonis Parker and Judy Bowman. One of the original artworks may be recognizable – a Parker original featured on OneUnited Bank’s OneLove credit card.
WHERE: Historic Ward Rooming House, 249 NW Ninth St., Miami
WHEN: Begins Sunday, Dec. 1.
COST: Varies. Tickets start at free.
INFORMATION: For a complete list events, go hamptonartlovers.com
Afrikin Art Fair
Miami’s premier showcase of African contemporary art, the AfriKin Art Fair, returns to Maison Afrikin, in the Scott Galvin Community Center from Sunday, Dec. 1 through Sunday, Dec. 8. Themed “Threads of Life in Fragments of Time,” the tenth edition of the fair offers a week-long exploration of the interconnectedness of human existence, the cosmos and the transformative power of art.
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2 through Sunday, Dec. 8.
WHERE: Scott Galvin Community Center, 1600 N.E. 126th St., Miami
COST: $5 donation gift or free. Tickets at Afrika Art at eventbrite
INFORMATION: Afrikinart
Lauren Pearce, “Hidden Beneath the Shadow,” 36” x 40”, 2024, will be shown at PRIZM during Miami Art Week. (Photo courtesy of Prizm Art Fair)
Art Beat Miami
Good food, great entertainment and beautiful clothing is all that one can hope for. But at this event you can experience all three. The Little Haiti Optimist Club is hosting its 11th annual Art Beat Miami, a satellite fair, at both Brightline Miami and the Joseph Caleb Center, which will feature more than 30 artists including sculptors, muralists, painters and visual artists. A youth art history workshop and exhibit will also be on view.
WHAT: Art Beat Miami
WHEN: Various times. Wednesday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 8
WHERE: Brightline Miami Central Station, 600 NW 1st Ave and Joseph Caleb Center, 5400 NW 22nd Ave.
COST: Free. RSVP required for some events.
INFORMATION: artbeatmiami.com
Art of Transformation
Ten North Group is hosting “Black Aliveness and an Aesthetics of Being” as part of their Art of Transformation program. For the past five years, the group has selected literary works by those in the African diaspora as a “foundation for artistic exploration.” For 2024, Art of Transformation will delve into Kevin Quashie’s book, “Black Aliveness, or A Poetics of Being.” Performances, exhibitions, discussions and film screenings exploring this theme will be available for those who attend.
WHEN: Various times. Wednesday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 8
WHERE: Art and Recreation Center, 675 Ali Baba Ave., Opa-locka
INFORMATION: Art of Transformation
Eighth Annual-Basel B.A.E. (Black Art Experience)
Basel B.A.E (Black Art Experience) is billed as a rare cultural celebration of incredible visual art in various formats; paint, photography, sculpture and fashion. The artists will be present to comment on their work, and pieces will be available for purchase, along with additional items provided by local vendors.
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 6 through Sunday, Dec. 8
WHERE: The Urban, 1000 N.W. 2nd Ave., Miami
COST: Free entry until 10 p.m., but RSVP; also $15 plus fee or VIP seating from $450 to $800.
INFORMATION AND TICKETS: Basel B.A.E. at eventbrite.
PRIZM 2024
Prizm 2024, in partnership with REVOLT, returns to Miami’s Omni District, showcasing international artists from the African Diaspora. Artists from Africa and various global locations such as Barbados, Kenya, Martinique, Portugal, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States are featured. This year in its 12th edition, Prizm presents “The Architecture of Liberation” examining the profound role of visual art, architecture, and spatial aesthetics in the context of political resistance and social justice.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec 8
Prizm Preview Day, noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3.
WHERE: Ice Palace West Studio, 71 NW 14th St., Miami
COST: $25-$50
INFORMATION: www.prizm.art
Umbrellas of Little Havana
Little Havana’s Calle Ocho’s Umbrellas of Little Havana Art Festival features a myriad of hand-painted umbrellas by local artists, each reflecting the rich cultural influences of the region. The colorful, custom-painted umbrellas serve as a symbol of the diverse artistic spirit that thrives in Miami.
WHAT: Umbrellas of Little Havana Art Festival
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 to Sunday, Dec. 8
WHERE: Futurama 1637 Art Building, 1637 SW 8th St.
COST: Free
INFORMATION: (305) 972-5774
For a detailed list of Art of Black Miami events, go to www.miamiandbeaches.com/things-to-do/art-and-culture/art-of-black
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