Art Basel Miami: December 6 through December 9

The New York Times has called it "Art Costco for Billionaires." It's Art Basel Miami Beach, and it's coming up December 6th. It's geared more toward buyers than browsers, but it's the largest art show you'll find in South Florida.

From the Smithsonian: Miami Splash

"Art Basel Miami Beach has one of the planet's highest concentrations of wealth and talent," boasts fair director Samuel Keller. "It's an explosive mixture of art, intellect, glamour and money." The art mart (a spinoff of the international fair held annually in Switzerland) has some of the glitz of Hollywood's Oscars, but it has also become one of the key events of the art-world calendar, a place where trends get set, deals get done and names get made—even if it has been criticized for its frenzied atmosphere and rampant commercialism. The New York Times has called it "an Art Costco for billionaires," and conceptual artist John Baldessari, whose work is marketed at the fair, observes: "You have to understand that it's not about mounting an art show, it's about selling art." But, he adds, "It's a chance to see a lot of good art in one place, even if it's not under optimum conditions."

Location: Miami Beach Convention Center
Dates: December 6th - December 9th, 2007

Tickets: Ticketmaster