Some of the best ways to immerse yourself in Miami’s vibrant creative scene are the art walks and gallery nights across the city. The free monthly events feature paintings, sculptures, drawings, photography, mixed media and more from local and international artists alike. In case you missed Art Basel this month, get your culture fill at six of our favorite art nights.
Every third Saturday of the month, at this warehouse-turned-art-space in the Bird Road Art District, more than 20 Miami-based artists and studios invite the public for a sampling of a vast array of emerging and established artists across all mediums. The district showcases everything from fine art, sculpture and photography, to stained glass and pottery, and even a traveling gallery. Some standouts include pottery making at Anhinga Clay Studios, Inc., custom glassblowing at Nickel Glass, a roving fusion pop art exhibit at Luis Fuentes and abstract expressionism at MANO Fine Art Project Space. Enjoy complimentary wine and light bites on the walks, plus shuttle service to each spot. The walks run from 7 to 10 p.m., and you can hop on the shuttle at any of the participating venues.
Coconut Grove Art Gallery Nights
Home to the famous annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival (coming February 2014), Coconut Grove hosts Art Gallery Nights on the first Friday of every month from 7 to 10 p.m. The events spotlight local and international artists, mixed media, and music at 12 locations throughout CocoWalk, Mayfair Center and across the area. See the best of the Grove and some quirky unexpected venues, such as independent The Bookstore in the Grove and Dynamo Art CocoWalk, a multi-use space featuring works, performances, workshops and installations. Local bars and restaurants also offer live music and specials, from the intimate and quaint Vinos in the Grove wine shop to the charming and lush outdoor Peacock Garden Café.
In the heart of South Beach, the Lincoln Road Art Walk takes place the first Saturday of every month from 7 to 10 p.m. along the pedestrian-only promenade. It’s one of the area’s most diverse and locally focused art walks. It centers along the stretch from Art Center/South Florida on Lincoln Road to the CANDO Arts Co-Op Gallery by The Bass Museum of Art and the Romero Britto Gallery. Expect an evening with more than 40 artists showing gallery exhibitions, live music, photography, paintings, installations, videos and other mixed-media works. Post-walk, there’s plenty to do with restaurants (100 Montaditos for sandwiches, Meat Market for steak), shopping (Apple, 7 For All Mankind) and other entertainment (Hofbräu Beer Hall, Lucky Strike) nearby.
South Miami’s spin on art takes a unique twist by presenting local businesses and artists throughout South Miami Town Center’s charming tree-lined sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly streets. On the second Friday of every month (October through March from 6 to 9 p.m.), explore displays ranging across the art spectrum: abstract landscapes; pop art, graffiti and Cuban cubism; photography; 3-D wall installations and sculptures; artisan jewelry; watercolors and ceramics; and live jazz. Stick around for the late-night after-party hosted at a different area restaurant each month.
Viernes Culturales in Little Havana
At Little Havana’s Viernes Culturales on the last Friday of every month from 7 to 11 p.m., get absorbed in Cuban culture. International art, music and food pay tribute to a deep nostalgia for the Caribbean island’s rich history as well as the diversity of South Florida. Beyond art, dancers and guitar players, you’ll find street performers, domino players and even cigar rollers, for a complete sensory experience of sight, taste and sound. Festival-goers can also take a free walking tour of Little Havana led by local historian Paul George starting at 7 p.m. at the historic Tower Theater, where you’ll even make a stop at the home of the first mayor of Miami, John B. Reilly.
Held on the second Saturday of every month from 6:30 to 11 p.m., Wynwood Art Walk has become one of the most popular, boisterous art block parties in the city. Thousands of art lovers, hipsters and international visitors converge for a night of cutting-edge art, music, drinks and food trucks on the sidewalks of the Wynwood Art District, the emerging epicenter of Miami’s art scene. Check out Robert Fontaine Gallery’s contemporary pop art from the 1960s, the contemporary Dorsch Gallery (the first to move to the district in 2000), as well as the famed Wynwood Walls that showcases graffiti and street art. For serious collectors seeking a more intimate experience, spots such as Alma Fine Art, Diana Lowenstein Gallery and Wynwood Art Group recently teamed up to start Preview Thursdays, held on the second Thursday of every month after gallery hours.
Photos Courtesy of White’s Art Gallery, Viernes Culturales Anita and MANO Fine Art Project Space
