Miami Art Week is upon us once again, uniting art lovers, culture junkies and partygoers at exhibitions and activations all over the city. From the fairs at the foundation of Art Week to countless public and private events, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and plenty of art to appreciate. With so much on, check out our city guide for intel on the hospitality highlights and most-anticipated art events this December, before you see them on your social feed.
The Sagamore
A South Beach mainstay, the historic Sagamore Hotel actually has art programming year-round, so you can expect the very best during Art Week. The hotel is hosting five days of interactive activations, events, poolside dance parties and more – including the 21st annual Sagamore Brunch (a favorite among global leaders in the art space).
The Sagamore
Hotel Greystone
A five-minute walk from Art Basel Miami Beach, consider Hotel Greystone a chic escape from the chaos. The newly refurbished Art Deco hotel is also playing host to Pamm Ann’s Clipper Club Miami on November 29 if you’re looking for an entertaining experience at the venue’s jazz club.
The Miami Beach EDITION
There’s no shortage of programming planned at the EDITION, including happenings hosted by Gagosian, Kehinde Whiley, Parley for the Oceans and more. Toast to book signings and more with a glass of Ruinart at The Lobby Bar.
The Miami Beach EDITION
Pelican Hotel
If you can get in, Pelican Hotel owner Renzo Rosso is hosting a private opening preview of this South Beach hotel, back after a two-year hiatus. Good luck.
Contessa
From the team at Major Food Group comes Contessa, a new favorite in the Miami Design District. Come for the elegant ambiance and stay for the Northern Italian fare and extensive gelato program.
Contessa
Fabel Miami
If you don’t get an invite to the VIP grand opening party, don’t worry, Fabel Miami opens to the public on Friday, December 2nd. This Wynwood rooftop restaurant and lounge promises a uniquely immersive experience.
Villa Azur Miami Beach
Experience Miami like a local partygoer at Villa Azur, the Miami Beach supper club known as much for its Mediterranean fare as its festivities. For Miami Art Week, Villa Azur will host a signature 'Thursday Night Dinner Party' complete with a DJ, sax player, performers and sparkling bottle service until 3am.
Villa Azur
The Drexel
If you’re a fan of the Mandolin restaurants (who isn't?), don’t miss The Drexel, the founders’ latest outpost on Miami Beach. Expect elevated-yet-uncomplicated European-inspired eats in a chic environment.
Our Lady of Rocco at ZZ's Club
Our Lady of Rocco, the collab between fashion brand La Ligne and restaurateur Mario Carbone, returns for its second year. The limited-edition collection is inspired by 1980s NYC and uniform dressing, so expect iconic styles like satin bomber jackets and statement t-shirts.
Our Lady of Rocco
The Secret Garden with La Grande Dame by Veuve Clicquot at Le Jardinier
Michelin-starred Le Jardinier welcomes guests to its Secret Garden for a pop-up with La Grande Dame's Garden Gastronomy epicurean experience. The Design District restaurant will serve locally sourced vegetables in a lush setting inspired by the French countryside.
Saatchi Yates Solo Exhibition by Ethiopian Artist Tesfaye Urgessa
Contemporary Ethiopian artist Tesfaye Urgessa brings 15 new large-scale paintings to the Saatchi Yates gallery in the Miami Design District. This show coincides with the artist’s presentation at the Rubell Museum, which opens on November 28.
Tesfaye Urgessa, Love Doesn’t Grow on Trees 2, 2022, Oil On Canvas, 250x200cm
Ippodo Gallery Extreme Surfaces Exhibit at Design Miami/
Tokyo and New York-based Ippodo Gallery presents Extreme Surfaces at Design Miami/. An exhibition of contemporary Japanese kogei (art and craft), the installation will feature works by 22 artists with a focus on the juxtaposition of the surfaces of three distinct object types. A highlight: Shigeru Uchida’s stunning life-sized tea house will play host to a traditional Japanese tea service each day at 3pm.
Art Basel Miami Beach Conversations Program
In addition to the myriad exhibitions within Art Basel, make sure to catch this year’s Conversations program, focused on ‘hybridity, diaspora and futurity.’ Hear from 35 speakers from around the world over nine panels from November 30 through December 2.
Gagosian & Jeffery Deitch 100 Years
Don’t miss 100 Years, the seventh group exhibition organized by Gagosian in collaboration with Jeffrey Deitch, on view at the historic Buick Building. Contributors include Refik Anadol, Theaster Gates, Douglas Gordon, Urs Fischer, Tom Friedman, Austin Lee, Jamian Juliano Villani, Rick Lowe, Keiichi Tanaami and Taryn Simon, among others.
100 Years
Surface x Polygon: Art Meets Web3 Bungalow
Surface Magazine and Web3 platform Polygon invite guests to enter the 'phygital' world at W South Beach. The multi-day beachside bungalow, which is open to the public from 11-4pm daily, will offer an immersive experience with installations by MokiBaby, OffLimits, Spatial Labs, LNQ and Prism Collective.
Garnering coverage for clients in any category is nuanced, as is the case for marcomms pros representing real estate clients. We asked a handful of leaders in this space what makes a property hot in the eyes of the media, and what strategies help make a development coverage-worthy.
It turns out that what attracts tenants and residents is what gets the media interested, too. “The most press-worthy buildings today are stretching the boundaries of what’s possible either through amenities, design, hospitality or technology,” says Sarah Berman, founder and president of The Berman Group. “Buildings today must be tenant-centric or resident-centric and must incorporate ‘genuine’ hospitality, whether it is hotel-quality services in a residential development or within commercial spaces. Fisher Brothers has launched @Ease this year in two Midtown locations and the Milstein’s 335 Madison has created a hotel-like environment with a lobby bar, The Perch and a Murakami sculpture as its centerpiece.”
Roof Terrace at @Ease Hospitality at 605 Third Avenue | The Berman Group
Suzanne Rosnowski, founder and CEO of Relevance International, points out that a property needs to have that wow-factor for readers, too. “Media are excited by properties that are going to generate attention from viewers and be easily understandable, even if they aren’t in the inner world of real estate,” she says. “Properties with striking imagery, well-appointed interiors, design by a starchitect, a great value or over-the-top price point, or any superlatives or firsts that the property represents are always a hit. Just as with any topic, media are interested in properties or related news that can surprise the reader. Exciting brand collaborations, unique amenity offerings or the way a property meets a wider community need is also great fuel for news value.”
We’d be remiss not to mention the shifts the real estate industry has gone through as a result of the pandemic – especially for office buildings. ”It’s such a competitive space so you really need some element that’s first, newest or best,” says Jeremy Soffin, Managing Director at BerlinRosen. The post-pandemic environment on the commercial side has been especially interesting as the leading landlords come up with really innovative ways to lure workers back to the office.”
Both business leaders and employees are looking for those features that make going back to the office attractive after almost three years of working from home. Not only do spaces need to have some engaging features, but they also need to align with environmental efforts. “Companies are returning to the office in smarter, greener and more flexible buildings,” says Berman. “The most newsworthy buildings are rich in hospitality, amenities and are super high-tech in terms of providing connectivity, air quality and security. Meeting tenant demands in a post-pandemic environment, buildings must also satisfy new requirements for energy efficiency and sustainability.”
Pantry at 335 Madison Avenue | The Berman Group
Since the physical elements of properties are out of PRs’ hands, knowing what details to pitch to media is crucial. “Journalists are constantly seeking what's ‘new’ and ‘hot,’ and in real estate, an industry that is ever-changing and ever-evolving, there is no shortage of information to share,” says Amy Rossetti, CEO of R[AR]E Public Relations. “When pitching a real estate development, there can be several factors that dictate the newsworthiness, but usually, those that generate the most buzz are the ones that are exceptionally different – anything that is the first-of-its-kind, the tallest, the most expensive or the largest, are what tend to garner the most press coverage. Other newsworthy angles might include a notable architecture or designer, unique amenity spaces, sustainability components, a historic aspect or a celebrity hook.”
As is the case for the marcomms industry as a whole, creativity is key. “Even with a great property, the media landscape in the built environment is highly competitive and crowded. True comms pros can help build interest by finding or creating stories that aren’t obvious,” says Rosnowski. “Creative activations or brand partnerships—particularly ones that bring real value rather than gimmicks—can elevate a property profile in the media. The idea is to build a creative overlay for a property, such as through an amenity party or neighborhood partnerships. You can also do a lot with property interiors to make them fresh and interesting. It’s the one area of design that you can play with once a building is complete.”
She continues, “The common element of any creative property PR strategy is that it be counterintuitive. If every other developer is doing one thing, then you need to show how a property is doing the opposite and bucking the trend. For a comms pro, this necessarily involves understanding the market and continuously doing research. Media don’t want to keep writing the same story, and a counterintuitive headline is much more useful and fresh.”
The Ellinikon developed by LAMDA Development: The Riviera Tower by Foster + Partners | Relevance International
Rossetti seconds that, saying, “Sometimes you have to get a bit more creative to make properties coverage-worthy, which can require PR pros to get scrappy. For example, one time we were representing a client who was selling multi-million-dollar lots in Nevada...it was surrounded by nature and promised to be an incredible development, but for years, there was nothing built. So, we did what we do best, we used ingenuity to come up with an angle that generated a great deal of press...the tax advantages!”
Overall, a good rule of thumb for getting media interested in covering a development is to consider what tenants or residents will find exciting about the property. Berman concludes, "Press will come for buildings that generally are places that people want to work, live, play or stay. Not only are these buildings exemplary of the new order, but these buildings will be the ones that stand the test of time.”
