Scenic Miami

The art scene in Miami is always full of creative enterprise, with art openings occurring regularly and some of the most well-known artists (of all types) choosing to display their work here. Moreover, the art scene includes a diverse grouping of performing arts venues as well as museums, music halls and much more.

One of the newest additions to the cultural scene in Miami is the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. This is the second largest performing arts center in the country, only behind the famous Lincoln Center in NYC. The Arsht Center is home to the Florida Grand Opera, which is renowned for its professional, talented performers. Other venues housed in the center include:  the Knight Concert Hall, Carnival Studio Theatre, Peacock Rehearsal Studio and Ziff Ballet Opera House. The Performing Arts Center attracts a number of national and international concerts, operas, ballets and musicals; it is considered to be one the grandest and most elaborate performing arts centers in the state.

Miami is also home to a host of other performing arts facilities including: the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Lincoln Theatre, Jackie Gleason Theatre, Ring Theatre, Colony Theatre, and the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts. The Miami International Film Festival is a celebrity-laden showcase for cinema from around the world, specifically concentrating on Latin America as well as the North American continent.

When it comes to dance, Miami is well-represented by the Miami City Ballet. The Ballet rounds out the cultural scene in Miami with its talented cache of top performers and facility. It is located at the Ophelia and Juan Js. Rojas Center in South Beach, which is one of the few facilities in the world that is made specifically for the ballet.

In addition to the numerous performing arts venues, Miami is host to a number of local museums. In fact, there are so many museums that it takes days just to get through a few of them. Some of the city’s best collections can be found at the Bass Museum of Art. Located in Miami Beach, the Bass Museum draws large droves of visitors to its stunning collections of Renaissance and Baroque paintings as well as the special temporary exhibits. In the past, these temporary exhibits have included works by Picasso, Matisse, and Frida Kahlo. There are free docent tours at the Bass Museum of Art each Saturday and a personal collection of Austrian art from John Bass, the museum’s founder.

For an additional art adventure, wander over to the Bakehouse Art Complex. A former baking company, this complex turned into a grouping of art studios and galleries, including workshops for visiting artists and two exhibition galleries. Visitors can watch artists at work, creating masterpieces, and if they like what they see, they can purchase it on the spot!

The Lowe Art Museum in Coral Gables was founded in 1950, expanding from a mere three classrooms at the University of Miami to a 2,100 sq. ft. gallery boasting more than 15,000 pieces of exquisite art. This museum is dedicated to art education, with students and faculty alike exhibiting on a regular basis. However, this museum isn’t just for students; there is artwork adorning the hallways that is 5,000 years old. From Roman statues to painted pottery and African textiles, there are many exceptional pieces of art housed in the Lowe Art Museum.

However, the crown jewels of the Miami art scene are the Miami Art Museum and Museum of Contemporary Art at North Miami.

The Miami Art Museum is located in the heart of the city, and features installations as varied as video, photography, sculpture, painting and much, much more. Exhibitions included at the Miami Art Museum consist of various contemporary artists, including Carlos Alfonzo, Ana Mendieta, Frank Stella and Chuck Close. There are re-creations of famous works, such as Vik Muniz’s take on Monet’s “Waterlilies.”

The Museum of Contemporary Art at North Miami is home to some of South Florida’s most talented artists. There is a 7,500 sq. ft. gallery space and a separate exhibit hall that showcases local artists only. Work by Ruben Torres Llorca, William Cordova, Hernan Bas and others are displayed here amongst the various interactive works of art around the facility. In fact, art smacks you in the face the minute you enter the museum with a line of palm trees dotting the edge of a large reflection pool that doubles as a wishing well. Visitors can toss in a coin to make a wish and then watch as a long, black, fiberglass snake emerges from the water. Past MOCA exhibitors were Salvador Dali, Pablo Cano, Gianni Versace and Anna Gaskell.

Additional museums in the Miami area include the Miami Children’s Museum, Jewish Museum of Florida, Frost Art Museum, Miami Science Museum, to name a few.

The cultural scene in Miami captures the very essence of the city and its residents. There are so many avenues in which to literally breathe art, entertainment and culture that it’s hard for visitors to avoid soaking up a bit of it and carrying it with them when they leave.  

Copyright 2010 MiamiSmarts

1. An Introduction to Miami
2. Getting Around Miami
3. Secrets of South Beach
4. Dolphins in Heat in Miami
5. The Miami Music Scene
6. Things to See in Miami
7. The Miami Cultural Scene
8. Shopping in Miami

Jersey Boys Miami 2011