The Most Corporate Events at Miami Art Week 2019

For fans of free stuff, there has never been a better time in the Magic City than Miami Art Week.

Didn't score an invite to the private party hosted by some European brand you've never heard of? Well, sneaking in has always been half the fun. At the Deitch Projects 2008 opening-night party at the Raleigh, which offered a concert by the Gossip, a New Times reporter scaled a fence to get in and was rewarded with a good time and boxes of MAC cosmetics just sitting there for the taking. Other years offered new sneakers at a Converse-sponsored event and countless tote bags, still being put to good use.

Here are eight corporate-sponsored events during Miami Art Week that demand your attention, some of which aim to destroy your liver.

"Momentum," an NBA Exhibition

This one is certainly not the most insidious cultural-corporate event this week. In fact, it's just a little different from your average artsy-fartsy party. The "Momentum" exhibition is a partnership with the NBA that's hosted by AMP, a marketing and events firm; and Franchise, a publication dedicated to global basketball culture. This is a group show, including work by artists such as Andrea Bergart and Andrew Kup, that explores the (tenuous) connections between basketball and contemporary art and includes video installations and an interactive archive of historic NBA ephemera. It's all cool stuff worthy of a visit by any sports fan who also digs art. Wednesday, December 4, through Sunday, December 8, at the Nautilus by Arlo Hotel, 1825 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; momentum-amp.com.

Lavazza and David LaChapelle

Not gonna lie: David LaChapelle events are on point. There are always exciting characters and plenty of folx in drag. This year, work by this celebrity photographer is being sponsored by the Italian coffee brand striving for sustainability, Lavazza. LaChapelle will reveal his work for Lavazza's 2020 calendar, which honors the planet through nature art and calls to action for us terrible humans who must do more to save the Earth — seriously, get on it. The private preview is set for Thursday, December 5, where attendees can groove to performances by Perle Noire and DJ JonJon. Friday, December 6, through Sunday, December 8, at Faena Bazaar, 3400 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; lavazza.com.

Desigual x Carlota Guerrero

Barcelona fashion label Desigual will present "Love Different 2020," a show by photog, performance artist, and art director Carlota Guerrero. She has worked with many brands, including Givenchy and Dior, and musicians like Solange. Guerrero's work, which celebrates the female form, is pretty simplistic but engaging and worth a gander. Hit up this grrrl-power party for a taste of glamour with guts. 8 p.m. Saturday, December 6, at the Temple House, 1415 Euclid Ave., Miami Beach; thetemplehouse.com.

Hive

A big part of enjoying Basel is going hard, and Hive at the Wynwood Marketplace offers a conduit. Hive will offer enough artsy activations and boozy corporate-sponsored experiences to get you drunk enough to buy art. There will be the landscaped Veuve Clicquot Champagne Garden; Tito’s Stillhouse Lounge, with community art murals and Wynwood merchants; and Heineken House at the Deck, offering DJs, immersive video displays, and other diversions all night. Thursday, December 5, through Sunday, December 8, at the Wynwood Marketplace, 2250 NW 2nd Ave., Miami; wynwood-marketplace.com.

Bulleit 3D-Printed Bar

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey is here to knock you off the wagon and into the full art-world experience. The company is collaborating with Miami-based artists Elidea and Jason Skeldon on its Art in a Bottle collection. The work will debut at the fairs Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami and offer a STEM-friendly Bulleit 3D-Printed Bar with 3D-printed cocktails by "robotics partners" at Print-a-Drink. You might not understand what that means, but you're definitely intrigued. 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 4, at Red Dot Miami and Spectrum Miami, 2217 NW Fifth Ave., Miami; bulleit.com.

Bacardi Rum Room

So now you're drunk just after reading the last few entries. What do you do at Art Basel when you're already drunk on free booze? You keep drinking. Barcardi is going all out at its Rum Room, where Swizz Beatz will spin while you sip cocktails made with the brand's Añejo Cuatro, Reserva Ocho, and Gran Reserva Diez. Just thinking about it makes you want to recover with a pizza and a long day of watching Never Been Kissed. And if you were wondering where the art fits in: There will be a big reveal of new work by a surprise artist.10 p.m. Thursday, December 5, at a location TBA. Admission by invitation only.

Veritas Farms

Maybe getting shitfaced on free champagne isn't your thing, but neither is sobriety. Enter Veritas Farms. The CBD company is hosting a few Miami Art Week activations, including a space at Art Miami where you can taste CBD-infused food and drinks and sample nonedible products. Veritas — along with Toast Vodka and Re-Envision Magazine — is also sponsoring Toast to Basel, featuring a Woodstock theme and pop-up art gallery at the Faena Miami Beach. Through Sunday, December 8, at 1 Herald Plaza, Miami; and 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 4, at Faena Miami Beach, 3201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; theveritasfarms.com.

Fun Wine x Miguel Paredes

Fun Wine advertises itself as a low-alcohol, gluten-free, wine-based beverage. Basically, it's the perfect drink for someone who doesn't want to go too hard on a Thursday night. The company is set to host an event with creative director and artist Miguel Paredes, who came up in the graffiti scene and creates fun work inspired by tattoos and Japanese art. 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, December 5, at the National Hotel, 1677 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.