Forget Basel — Small and Alternative Art Fairs Is Where It's at During Miami Art Week

When it comes to surviving Miami Art Week, bigger isn't always better. Some of the most interesting and inspiring art can be seen at the smaller satellite fairs that pop up throughout Miami, orbiting the giant that is Art Basel Miami Beach. Alternative perspectives and wild performances thrive at fairs like Prizm, Ink, Feria Clandestina, and Alcova. Plus, you might be able to afford to take home some of the art.

Here are New Times' picks for the best alternative and small art fairs during Miami Art Week 2024.

Alcova

If you don't feel like braving the causeway traffic to check out the other design fair happening during Art Week, Milan-based Alcova is setting up shop at the River Inn in Little Havana. Setting up shop in Miami's oldest existing hotel is a smart idea. While some of these designs on view might seem futuristic or fanciful in a traditional tent, placed in an actual room, they might make a bit more sense. Exhibitors from Italy, Mexico, New York, and elsewhere will show off new and innovative designs, with some focused on adaptive reuse and sustainability. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 3, through Sunday, December 8, at River Inn, 437 SW Second St., Miami; alcova.xyz.

Art Gaysel

Art Gaysel, the self-proclaimed "queerest art fair" in Miami, will return to the Hotel Gaythering. Thirty artists will showcase their work at this unconventional fair, which happens after dark from 5 p.m. until late. Organized by Gaythering co-owner Alex Guerra, the fair is also partnering with Provincetown Commons, a studio space in the Cape Cod haven famous for its open-minded culture, to showcase artists from the area. It's the perfect place to unwind — or not — after a day of fair hopping on the beach. The best part: it's free. 5 p.m. to midnight Thursday, December 5, through Saturday, December 7, at Hotel Gaythering, 1409 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; instagram.com/gaythering. Admission is free.

Feria Clandestina

If you want to dive into local art, Feria Clandestina is the perfect place to do it — and not just because it's free to attend. Taking over the Selina Gold Dust Motel, the community incubator fair will bring 93 artists together for its third edition under the theme "Making Room." Every room has a different, unique display. Walk into 229, and you'll find an impromptu tattoo studio; 230, and you'll come across an exhibit on house music history. Locals including Jen Clay, Harumi Abe, Ingrid Schindall, and Desi Swoop will show work, with Nice'N Easy creating a limited edition floaty and print. Galleries from Detroit, Mexico City, and Cologne will show alongside local galleries such as Supermarket and the CAMP Gallery, and Jolt Radio will be in residence. Noon to 10 p.m. Thursday, December 5; and noon to 7 p.m. Friday, December 6, and Saturday, December 7, at Selina Gold Dust Motel, 770 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; clandestina.art. Admission is free with RSVP via eventbrite.com.

Ink Miami Art Fair

Paper is an underrated medium for collecting art. It may not be as prestigious as paintings, but many famous artists have created brilliant works on paper, many of which are cheaper and easier to store and display than massive canvases. Small and digestible is also a good way to describe the Ink Miami fair at the Suites of Dorchester in Miami Beach. With only 15 exhibitors, some from as far away as Ireland and Japan and others nearby in Orlando and Ybor City, it's easy to see everything and potentially walk away with some nice art. The fair is free to attend with reservation via its website. Noon to 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 4; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, December 5, through Saturday, December 7; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, December 8, at the Suites of Dorchester, 1850 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; inkartfair.com. Admission is free.

Open Invitational

Art should be open to everyone, even people with mental and physical disabilities. That's the pitch behind the Open Invitational, a new fair designed to give disabled artists a platform. Eleven galleries from across the country will exhibit work at the small yet substantial fair in the Design District, including Miami-based 2bnonprofit. Speaking of locals, Bookleggers Library will be on hand as well. Noon to 7 p.m. Monday, December 2 through Sunday, December 8 at the Palm Court Event Space, 140 NE 39th St., Third Floor, Miami; openinvitational.com. Admission is free.

Prizm

Just around the corner from NADA at Ice Palace Studios downtown is Prizm, focusing on art and artists from the African diaspora. Featuring artists from the U.S., UK, and Caribbean as well as the continent, Prizm's thematic focus this year is on "The Architecture of Liberation." Throughout the week, the fair will also host film screenings and panels such as "Caribbean Connections" and "Art as Infrastructure." It's a perfect place to build community as well as engage with great art made by Black folks from around the world. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 2, through Saturday, December 7, at Ice Palace West Studio, 71 NW 14th St., Miami; prizm.art. Tickets cost $15 to $60 via eventnoire.com.

Satellite Art Show

A pioneer for alternative, artist-run fairs during Miami Art Week, Satellite is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year with two locations on Lincoln Road Mall. This year, it will attempt to outdo last year's Japanese bondage spectacle by getting the one and only Stone Cold Steve Austin — yes, the WWE champion himself — to host its "Florida Man Man Cave" installation. That's not all: The performative, provocative exhibitors at Satellite this year include a performance by Meta Betties inspired by Yoko Ono's famous "Cut Piece," nudist artist Elsa Marie Keefe's project "The Nude Gallerist," a "Prepared Cash Grab Booth" designed to dispense the joy of fall foliage instead of money, and Jessica Blinkhorn's frank exploration on the erotic agency of disabled people titled, uh, "Spankbox Porn Theater." Hey, if you want high-class, stick to Basel! Noon to 10 p.m. Thursday, December 5, through Saturday, December 8; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, December 8; at 420 Lincoln Rd., Ste. 200, and 700 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; satellite-show.com. Tickets cost $20 to $120 via seetickets.us.