Miami starts sparkling long before the first Basel spotlight hits. This is your invitation to the chic, early-access world where the art crowd quietly gathers before the glittering storm.

November 19, 2025

Art Week has a rhythm, and insiders know the best way to enjoy it is to start early. Before the flood of collectors and international crowds arrives, Miami is already alive with early exhibitions, previews, neighborhood installations, and intimate events that feel like local secrets. This guide highlights everything happening before the official Art Week rush, with the most interesting openings, performances, and hotel activations across South Beach, Wynwood, and beyond.

SOUTH BEACH

The Betsy South Beach

Opening December 1

• Opening Night Event December 4 from 8 to 11 p.m.

The Betsy launches a sweeping new collection across nine on-site galleries. Expect striking photography, mixed-media installations, documentary work, AI-driven pieces, and a powerful showing of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s legacy, documented by Wolfgang Volz. The atmosphere is warm and intimate, with time to appreciate the details, especially before the city fills up. The December 4 event includes a live performance by the Peter London Global Dance Company, creating a moving interpretation of the themes embedded in Christo’s work.

Delilah Miami Surprise Performances

• December 1 through December 7

Delilah Miami brings back its signature element of surprise with unannounced celebrity performances throughout the entire week leading into Art Basel. The interior already feels like a cinematic dream with pink and teal lighting, Turkish burl wood, and hand-drawn caricatures. During Art Week it becomes even more electric with a nightly rotation of live acts in a setting made for glamour and unexpected moments.

Lincoln Road Public Art Installations

• Mid November through Art Week

Fourteen monumental works transform Lincoln Road into a walkable outdoor gallery. The installations range from playful bubblegum-pink inflatables to mirrored sculptures that invite viewers to see themselves in the work. There are also new wildlife-focused bronzes by Gillie and Marc. The result is an accessible and immersive art corridor that rewards both casual strollers and serious photographers.

VISU Contemporary David LaChapelle: Vanishing Act

• Exhibition November 29 through January 31
• Opening Reception December 5 from 6 to 9 p.m.

David LaChapelle returns to Miami with more than thirty significant pieces, including nine new world premieres. The show explores beauty, crisis, dreams, and transformation through LaChapelle’s unmistakable visual language. Early arrival days offer the rare chance to see the work without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that arrive once Art Week fully begins.

The Goodtime Hotel borderline Exhibition

• Grand Opening November 20 from 7 to 11 p.m.
• Open Daily November 21 through December 8 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Goodtime Hotel sets a lively tone for the season with Borderline, a collaborative exhibition featuring eleven South Florida artists. The hotel’s interiors transform into immersive vignettes mixing painting, ceramics, photography, and sculpture. The November 20 opening night combines art, music, food, and a convivial atmosphere that consistently draws an eclectic crowd.

Cadillac Hotel and Beach Club Exhibitions

• Hira Majeed Exhibition December 1 through December 7 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Opening Reception December 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Wish You Were Here Installation November 17 through December 20

Cadillac Hotel hosts two standout installations. Inside, Hira Majeed presents deeply emotional paintings and sculptures centered on transformation and quiet beauty. Outside, a monumental woven tapestry by Denise Treizman fills the adult pool area with the colors of a Miami sunset. These two contrasting spaces offer a contemplative start to the season.

WYNWOOD

Arlo Wynwood

• Open Daily

Arlo Wynwood is essentially a fully activated art hotel with more than 250 pieces throughout its grounds. The murals by Hoxxoh and MILAGROS Collective are striking, but the interior work is just as compelling. Pre-week days are ideal for slow wandering, taking photos, and appreciating the interplay of color, architecture, and design before the neighborhood reaches peak energy.

Lina Cerrone Gallery

• November 30 from 6 to 8 p.m., Juliana Plexxo
• December 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. Véronique Barrillot
• December 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. Patrick Penkwitt
• December 6 from 6 to 9 p.m., Cedric Bouteiller

Lina Cerrone Gallery offers a variety of artist receptions that each feel distinct, ranging from quantum painting demonstrations to live street-art performances. These intimate gatherings are among Wynwood’s most exciting pre-weekend opportunities to meet artists and explore new work in a conversational setting.

Piper and Skye at Mana Wynwood

• VIP Reception December 3
• Marketplace December 4 through December 6

Piper and Skye join Mana’s Fashion Art Basel Edition Pop-Up with sustainable luxury handbags crafted from ethically sourced materials like Florida python and wild alligator. The pre-week VIP night offers the best access to designers, stylists, and limited-edition pieces.

DANIA BEACH

MAD Arts The Junk Machine

• Through December 7

The Junk Machine is a humorous and thought-provoking installation featuring a bright pink robot that prints endlessly surreal AI-generated images at the push of a button. It is playful and slightly unsettling, making it an excellent off-center stop before the main events begin.

EARLY EVENT CALENDAR

November 20

• Borderline Grand Opening at The Goodtime Hotel from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• The Betsy Jazz Series – Daily performances from 6 p.m. into late evening, depending on the day

December 2

• Paws and Palettes with Danny O from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hotel Continental
• Hira Majeed Live Car Sculpture, Begins at noon at the Cadillac Hotel and Beach Club

December 3

• Afternoon of Art with Danny O from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hotel Continental
• Ungated Connections at The Gates Hotel from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

December 4

• The Betsy Opening Event from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Listen to Your Heart by One Love Art DAO begins at 3 p.m. with programming through 10 p.m. at The Gates Hotel

December 5

• NADJEA Pop-Up at The Gates from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Goodtime Hotel Pool Event from noon to 6 p.m.
• NADJEA Fashion Show at The Gates from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. with runway at 4 p.m.
• Artist Talk with Anastasia Samoylova at The Betsy at 3 p.m.
• David LaChapelle Opening at VISU Contemporary from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

December 6

• ART ACCESS at Arlo Wynwood from 9 a.m. to midnight
• Beauty and Wellness Day at The Gates from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Goodtime Hotel Pool Event from noon to 6 p.m.
• Writer Talk with Dr Deborah Willis at The Betsy at 3 p.m.
• The Flower Party at Novotel Miami Brickell from 8 p.m. to midnight

December 7

• EDEN Paradise Day Party at The Gates from noon to 7 p.m. with an Artists and Collectors Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.