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Wynwood and the Design District have Second Saturdays. Coconut Grove has its monthly art walks. Little Haiti has its “Big Nights.” Most of Miami’s major neighborhoods can boast at least one festival celebrating its cultural facilities.
And Downtown Miami — home to arts powerhouses like the Miami Art Museum and the Arsht Center — is finally joining the club.
The Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA) announced the inaugural DWNTWN Art Days yesterday, to be held September 7 and 8 this year. Much like other neighborhood art walks, the Art Days will give locals the chance to browse the galleries and other art institutions of the area. But unlike other art walks, participants will be able to get into some usually costly facilities for free.
The two-day agenda is packed with artsy activities across a variety of mediums. MAM offers free access to its Rashid Johnson exhibit. The Miami International Film Festival will sponsor a free screening of Gerhard Richter Painting at Miami Dade College. The Arsht will host a food truck roundup (sadly, you’ll still have to pay for the grub) and offer theater geeks a tour of its facilities.
Beached Miami’s also taking part, organizing a bike tour, and artist Misael Soto, known for bringing his giant, communal beach towel to Miami Beach, will lay out a giant picnic blanket at Bayfront Park.
September’s still more than a month away, so the schedule’s not yet finalized; more arts events are expected to be added in the weeks to come. DWNTWN Art Days’ website isn’t currently the most helpful resource in the world (the events named above aren’t yet listed on its calendar), so we’re hoping the DDA’s just really focused on putting together an impressive event before worrying about updating its online info. In any case, we’ll keep you posted.
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