Since touching down in Miami Beach in 2002, the stateside outpost of the world’s biggest art fair, Art Basel, has grown from a standalone contemporary art exhibition into a weeklong, party-focused extravaganza known as Miami Art Week. Offering everything from high-end gallery showcases to bass-rattling nightclub bacchanals and hazy beachside festival sunrises, Miami Art Week provides high-rolling art snobs and dance-floor destroyers alike with a wealth of creative programming. In recent years, music has taken center stage as one of the week’s most celebrated art forms, with bands and DJs soundtracking sold-out events across the city.
Whether you’re looking to rub shoulders with glitzy VIPs or searching for avant-garde soundscapes, Miami Art Week is a party playground.
Bio Haqué
Having presented acts such as Björk, James Blunt, and Kendrick Lamar during previous editions of Art Basel, III Points this year will bring Bio Haqué, a mysterious cyberpunk-inspired event headlined by multimedia experimentalist Grimes, techno virtuoso Nina Kraviz, and synth-pop architect Sophie. The event is being billed as “a place where the well-proven anti-aging properties of raving have been distilled into the most potent experience available on the market today” and promises to rejuvenate guests through the power of music. With Grimes, Nina Kraviz, and Sophie. 9 p.m. Thursday, December 5, at the RC Cola Plant, 550 NW 24th St., Miami. Tickets cost $30 to $70 via showclix.com.
Justin Martin
The Los Angeles-based Cake Creative Agency returns after last year’s inaugural event, this time to host a four-day creative pop-up at a Wynwood warehouse dubbed the Cake Gallery. The kickoff will see 30 multidisciplinary creators, including Third Eye Assembly, the Last One’s Studio, Balloonski, Berk Visuals, and Junkyard. Attendees can vibe out in an elevated CBD lounge in partnership with the Terpene Lab or grab a limited art can from Cake’s collaboration with Collective Arts Brewing. At night, bass maestros Justin Martin, Walker & Royce, and Ardalan will transform the gallery into a bona fide dance party backed by live LED visuals. With Walker & Royce and Ardalan. 9 p.m. Thursday, December 5, at the Cake Gallery, 2060 NW First Ave., Miami; miamicakefactory.com. Tickets cost $35 to $75 via eventbrite.com.
Rhye
Staple Miami party series–turned–production company Poplife is 20 this year, and part of its celebration will be presenting indie-electronic project Rhye at the North Beach Bandshell. Rhye’s kaleidoscopic records careen from lush vocals into ethereal piano and driving percussion, a spellbinding soundscape to catch at the idyllic open-air amphitheater that has congregated the community for cultural events for more than 50 years. Brooklyn-based pop artist Mons Vi will be on opening duties. With Mons Vi. 7 p.m. Thursday, December 5, at North Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-672-5202; northbeachbandshell.com. Tickets cost $35 via eventbrite.com and $40 at the gate.
Richie Hawtin and Testpilot
Techno sound sculptor Richie Hawtin has a rich history alongside deadmau5 and his underground side project Testpilot, dating back to a widely applauded 2013 back-to-back South by Southwest performance. The two perennial talents will be joined by mau5trap flag-bearer Rinzen and a surprise special guest for a marathon night of pulsating darkness that will run till 5 p.m. the following evening at Club Space. The event will mark Testpilot’s Miami club debut. With Rinzen. 11 p.m. Thursday, December 5, through 5 p.m. Friday, December 6, at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-357-6456; clubspace.com. Tickets cost $20 to $80 via eventbrite.com.
EXPAND1Oak Pop-Up
Glossy velvet-rope nightspot 1Oak will return to the boutique Miami Beach club Rockwell for its fifth-annual Art Basel pop-up. The three-night function will run from Thursday through Saturday and will offer the ultimate who's who of A-list celebrities. Hip-hop kingpins Rick Ross, Nas, Gucci Mane, and 2 Chainz have entertained partygoers such as LeBron James, Kendall Jenner, Lenny Kravitz, and Travis Scott during previous iterations. Throw on your most expensive threads for this one — the dress code is strictly enforced. Thursday, December 5, through Saturday, December 7, at Rockwell, 743 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-793-3882; rockwellmiami.com. Ticket price varies each night.
Desigual X Carlota Guerrero Show
Fashion houses have long flocked to Miami Art Week as a nexus for creative collaborations, as seen with the Spanish clothing brand Desigual and last year’s Desigual Color House, which gathered artists, influencers, and special guests under one roof tor workshops, events, and experimental experiences. This year, the company, known for its flamboyant patchwork designs and graffiti-inspired prints, will host an invite-only show presenting its collection curated by the Barcelona-based multidisciplinary artist Carlota Guererro. In partnership with Desigual’s Love Different campaign, Guerrero will display her version of love through a unique choreographic experience highlighting feminism, with music provided by the DJ the Black Madonna. 8 p.m. Friday, December 6, at the Temple House, 1415 Euclid Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-2526; thetemplehouse.com. By invitation only.
The Cloud Presents Darker
Following its debut at Burning Man this summer, the immersive sound-and-light installation the Cloud will make its inaugural off-Playa appearance at BaseCamp at the Magic City Innovation District in Little Haiti. The hand-built sculpture projects art and music from all directions, with a 360-degree sound and visual array featuring 60,000 watts of ultra-high-fidelity sound, as well as 33,000 high-power individually addressable LEDs. The Cloud’s all-encompassing, multisensory technology fosters human connectivity as it allows everyone to see one another and dance together. Friday night, Darker will reinvent the traditional concert experience for a one-night-only showcase of dusky, melodic beats. 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, December 6, at BaseCamp, 298 NE 61st St., Miami; basecamp-miami.com. Tickets cost $35 to $75 via eventbrite.com.
DreamBasel
The sunset cruise DreamBasel invites an intimate audience of house heads to set sail from the Sea Isle Marina aboard the luxury Musette yacht for an evening of gleaming grooves. House-music heavyweights Gene Farris, Lauren Lane, and Layla Benitez will headline the maritime soiree following opening sets from Ann Atman, Nala, and Pegeez. Miami’s skyscraper-dotted horizon will be the picture-perfect backdrop for the shimmering sounds, lighting production, and art installations. With Gene Farris, Lauren Lane, Layla Benitez, and others. 4 p.m. Saturday, December 7, at Sea Isle Marina, 1635 N. Bayshore Dr., Miami. Tickets cost $55 to $75 via dreambasel.eventbrite.com.
Paradise Miami
Jamie Jones is having a love affair with Club Space. The U.K.-born DJ headlined alongside Loco Dice in October and is gearing up to do the same with Solomun for New Year's Eve. In between, his Paradise event series will make its Miami Art Week debut with a party brimming with house and techno talent. The 12-hour takeover will include acts such as Luciano, Four Tet, Carl Craig, Idris Elba, and Guti. Following successful summer residencies in Ibiza, as well as shows in Amsterdam, Barcelona, New York, and Los Angeles, it was only a matter of time before Paradise touched down in Miami. With Jamie Jones, Luciano, Four Tet, Carl Craig, and others. 11 p.m. Saturday, December 7, at Club Space, 34 NE 11th St., Miami; 786-357-6456; clubspace.com. Tickets cost $20 to $80 via eventbrite.com.
Rakastella
Tastemaking underground record labels Life and Death and Innervisions founded Rakastella in 2017 on the picturesque shores of Virginia Key, and this year the festival will return home for its third-annual edition, offering its most multidimensional lineup to date. The 16-hour romp will host performances by Life and Death head DJ Tennis and Innervisions ringleader Dixon, as well as sets by the most respected and diverse names in house and techno, including Âme, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Ben UFO, Jayda G, Mor Elian, KiNK, and Miami native Danny Daze. The dreamy beachfront festival will be an immersive experience, complete with live visual artists, cutting-edge light design, and the Hi-Fi Tea Garden, offering organic tea blends and surprise vinyl sets. Rakastella will be the first Miami event to eliminate single-use plastics onsite, further proving why it’s the Miami Art Week closing party you won’t want to miss. With Dixon, Ben UFO, KiNK, Eclair Fifi, Marie Davidson, and others. 3 p.m. Saturday, December 7, in Virginia Key Beach Park, 4020 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami; rakastella.com. Tickets cost $85 to $200 via eventbrite.com.
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