Every December, Miami Beach becomes a stage where the worlds of art and fashion intersect under sunlight and spotlights. This year, Art Basel Miami Beach returns the first week of December, marking its twenty-third edition and a clear step forward for the fair’s evolution.
With 285 galleries from 44 countries and more than 40 first-time exhibitors, Basel 2025 feels both expansive and intimate—featuring legacy names while alive with new ideas.
For the first time, Art Basel introduces its global awards program, a new initiative celebrating artists, galleries, and curators shaping the cultural landscape today. The ceremony, set for December 4, is already one of the week’s most anticipated events—more than a gala, it’s a statement about where the art world is heading next. Inside the Convention Center, the works span every scale and medium, while beyond its walls, the city transforms into a living extension of the fair itself.
Across the street, Design Miami/ returns with its sleek fusion of collectible furniture and conceptual design, reinforcing Miami’s position as a global hub for art and interiors. Along the shore, Untitled Art, SCOPE, and Context keep the momentum alive, offering discovery and experimentation that complement Basel’s precision. Meanwhile, ART Coral Gables, a new city-supported initiative, brings installations and pop-ups to galleries, hotels, and boutiques across the Gables—proof that “Art Week” has outgrown its beachside boundaries.
YoungArts continues to bridge the gap between emerging and established talent, transforming its landmark Biscayne Boulevard campus into a multidisciplinary showcase. Each Basel week, the organization spotlights next-generation artists, musicians, and performers with open studios and installations that remind us the future of art isn’t just collected—it’s created here, in real time.
This year also brings a wellness-driven counterpoint to the city’s creative buzz. The Wellness Oasis™ presented by Chase—created by 4B Advisory—joins forces with Reserve Padel for a two-day Art Week pop-up (December 2–3) at Reserve Miami Seaplane Base. Returning for its third year, the transformative platform offers expert-led workshops, mindfulness sessions, and holistic activations centered on balance, self-care, and connection.
In Allapattah, the Rubell Museum remains one of the week’s buzziest intersections of art and dining, with LA transplant Jon & Vinny’s serving delicious meals. On the Beach, The Bass extends its hours with guided tours, artist talks, and a members’ reception—often paired with an elegant open-bar moment in its sculpture garden. Together, they frame the week’s rhythm: daylight discovery, twilight connection.
And then, the sound takes over. During Art Basel, Miami is ruled by the DJs. The unKommon Art Week series at Little River Studios has become the unofficial festival within the festival, with immersive, open-air sets from Tiësto, Rampa, and Hugel, blurring the lines between performance and spectacle.
Black Coffee headlines a one-night takeover at the historic Downtown Courthouse before returning to LIV for a sold-out set—followed by John Summit the next night. Later in the week, The Surf Lodge × Palm Tree Club pop-up debuts, pairing Palm Tree Crew’s jet-set energy with The Surf Lodge’s Hamptons ease.
Beyond the decks, the city’s dining scene hums at the same frequency. In Brickell, Château ZZ’s is the place to be, serving elevated Mexican fare inside a restored historic residence that feels equal parts opulent and discreet. Upstairs, members retreat to a private lounge for mezcal cocktails and conversation—a hidden world above the buzz. And in Little River, Sunny’s Steakhouse remains a must—hangar steak and negronis beneath the banyan tree, the kind of place where the night stretches effortlessly.
This year, even the streets double as exhibition space. Lincoln Road’s Art and Retail Refresh unveils new large-scale public works alongside fashion and design flagships, inviting visitors to drift between outdoor installations and luxury storefronts. Over in the Design District, the 2025 Annual Design Commission marks its 10th year with artist Katie Stout’s “Garganua’s Thumb”—a fantastical, interactive installation featuring sculptural furniture, suspended orbs, and a whimsical carousel. Presented with Design Miami Curatorial Lab, the work brings playful energy and color throughout the neighborhood during Art Week, blurring the line between design, art, and imagination.
By nightfall, the rhythm shifts. The fairs empty out, the temperature dips just slightly, and the city exhales into its second act—rooftop dinners, listening bars, art-driven parties, and spontaneous encounters that blur the line between collector and creator. It’s this sense of flow that defines Miami during Basel week: art as lifestyle, movement as expression. The air hums with conversation and possibility, from the soft glow of museum courtyards to the warehouse beats of Little River.
Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 ultimately proves that the city itself is Miami’s greatest installation—an ever-changing, light-soaked landscape where art doesn’t live in galleries alone but in architecture, street murals, conversations, and the glow that lingers long after the fairs close. Miami has become more than a backdrop for Basel; it’s part of the artwork.
