To round out our Miami Issue, We’ve collected advice from the pros. Meet the journalists, artists, curators, executive directors, and, of course, publicists who have spent years refining their Miami methods—from first look at the Convention Center, to two-for-one at the Deuce. Because Art Week is the friends you meet along the way and then meet again at the next party.

Adam Abdalla

This year, I’m excited about...

Katie Stout. Gary Simmons. Making Miami. Sukeban. George Clinton. Boiler Room.

When in Miami, one must...

Pace yourself. Avoid a terrible Tuesday.

The best way to discover new art…

Go to NADA. Over the years, that is where I’ve discovered and acquired work by artists who are now in the highest demand. It opens on Tuesday this year—so if you miss the boat, you have no excuse!

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Clive’s Cafe for fried chicken. Proper Sausages for sandwiches.

Miami in one work of art...

John Baldessari’s I Will Not Make Any More Boring Art, (1971). This print is in every room at the Fontainebleau. My winner, based on volume alone.

Annie Armstrong

This year, I’m excited about…

A new project by Alex Israel. I’m not necessarily a fan, but given the state of *waves hand vaguely* things, I’m kinda curious to know what that guy has been thinking about lately.

When in Miami, one must…

Dunk your whole entire head into the ocean at least once. Don’t just get your feet wet. Commit. You will feel so, so, so much better.

The best way to discover new art…

Instagram :/ sorrryyyyyy.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Last year, I tried this Cuban diner called Puerto Sagua in South Miami Beach. It’s a cozy little respite with perfect ropa vieja.

Miami in one work of art…

Gotta be something by Alec Monopoly…

Nate Freeman

This year, I’m excited about…

The sheer amount of art that will be on view in Miami before Art Basel even opens on Wednesday. There’s a private opening for the Hernan Bas show at the Bass on Monday—a Monday opening! The next night, just across the Bal Harbour causeway, Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Ancient Future opens at MOCA North Miami. NADA seems to have an especially stacked lineup this year, and it opens on Tuesday, which is a new thing. By nighttime, I’ll be hopping around the Design District, going from the de la Cruz Collection to the ICA to Craig Robins’s collection in the Dacra office to the show jointly staged by Larry Gagosian and Jeffrey Deitch—all before heading to the Rubell Museum, and then to, no joke, three dinners. And that's just Tuesday!

When in Miami, one must…

Avoid the causeways at rush hour. Choose one side of Biscayne Bay and stick to it. That, or get a boat.

The best way to discover new art…

The emerging sectors at the main fair are always bursting with amazing galleries from cities I could never visit, giving me a glimpse into an art scene I otherwise would have zero insight into.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Joe’s Stone Crab! I dream of Joe’s Stone Crab all year round, and then on the Monday of Art Basel Miami Beach, there it is.

Miami in one work of art…

Cady Noland, This Piece Has No Title Yet (1989), permanently installed at the Rubell Museum.

Puerto Sagua, the Cuban Diner where Annie Armstrong goes for a respite and ropa vieja. Photo: Chris Gold.

Patton Hindle

This year, I’m excited about...

My first major Artadia event as the executive director! We’re gathering our community of Awardees and Jurors with our Councils (thanks to Liberty Mutual!) to celebrate our Boston Awardees: Luis Arnías, Juan José Barboza-Gubo, and Alison Croney Moses. It’ll be a nice moment of community as we head into our 25th year.

When in Miami, one must…

Find your inner zen while sitting in traffic on the causeways.

The best way to discover new art…

Run around the fairs with an artist friend! Artists are always looking, discovering and thinking, so I’ve consistently turned to them to learn.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

La Sandwicherie, of course, has kept me going for 16 years. (You can straight up imbibe that vinaigrette, right?)

Miami in one work of art…

Azikiwe Mohammed, Leroy’s Retirement Lunch at Break Table Behind Stew Leonard’s #6, (2022).

Sarah Levine

This year, I’m excited about...

A special moment we (Pace) have planned with Venus Williams. Plus, Hernan Bas’s show at the Bass Museum. I adore Hernan and worked with him for many years. He’s a Miami native and among the most talented painters full stop.

When in Miami, one must…

Make hard choices. To go or not to go to the boat party, to the third late night at Twist, to that a.m. beach yoga class you promised your friend you’d do this year, to sleep or to sacrifice it, to share the last juice in your portable charger or pretend it’s already dead. And a real honest must: When in Miami, one must dip their toes in the sea. You will never regret it.

The best way to discover new art…

Look up from your phone! And do the fairs with a buddy… sometimes four eyes can be better than two. More than four, and you’ll be comparing calendars (and back on the phone) instead of looking.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)…

Mandolin for all of it. Or the Four Seasons Surf Club for a chic martini…

Miami in one work of art…

Ed Ruscha, OOF, 1962 (reworked 1963).

Azikiwe Mohammed

This year, I’m excited about...

Beverly’s is an arts organization I have been working with for a long time, and we’re almost ready to relaunch our physical space, which we will be announcing formally with a very righteous happening during Miami time. Stay tuned!

When in Miami, one must…

Not forget your portable neck fan. And be careful, or you will never leave.

The best way to discover new art…

Talk to the person sitting next to you at Mac’s Club Deuce. Chances are they’re up to something.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)…

Most of the ones I liked closed in the past three years, so as long as there’s a wooden bar and spinning seat, I’ll be happy.

Miami in one work of art…

Carlos Rosales-Silva, Peep Hole 3, (2023).

Thomas E. Moore III

This year, I’m excited about…

I'm eagerly anticipating Jenée-Daria Strand’s spotlight at NADA, exploring Charles Gaines’s works at ICA, and delving into Charles Mason III’s art at Prizm. I'll also be checking out YoungArts exhibitions.

When in Miami, one must…

Prioritize acknowledging you can’t do it all. Make sure to visit ICA and allocate a few hours for beach time—a lesson learned from earlier visits when I missed out on the beach entirely.

The best way to discover new art…

Frequenting galleries and museums provides the complete experience. Additionally, I use Instagram and screenshots as tools for discovery and reference.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

When it comes to satisfying my taste buds, Red Rooster Overtown is the go-to spot for both liquid and solid calories.

Miami in one work of art…

Miami, encapsulated in one work of art, resonates as “It’s So Hot, I Can Smell It” by Demetrius Wilson.

Esther Park

This year, I’m excited about…

No more NFT parties!!!

When in Miami, one must…

Order a cafecito at 3pm and a mojito at 4pm!

The best way to discover new art…

Follow Oolite Arts!

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Happy hour at Shuckers (IYKYK).

Miami in one work of art…

Marcel Duchamp, Fountain, (1917).

Miami in one work of art according to András Szántó: Francisco Brennard's Mural on the Bacardi Tower. Photo: Phillip Pessar.

Chana Sheldon

This year, I’m excited about...

Kelly Breez's Dirt's Dive at Faena Art Project Room

When in Miami, one must…

Go to the beach of course??

The best way to discover new art…

See it in person. Visit the many museums, galleries, and private collections in South Florida. There is a wealth of talented artists with work on view and keep your eyes open for the wealth of public art across Miami-Dade County.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Paradis Books & Bread in North Miami for great natural wines.

Miami in one work of art…

Michele Oka Doner at Miami International Airport.

András Szántó

This year, I’m excited about...

Visiting Brazilian artist Sallissa Rosa’s new commission for Audemars Piguet Contemporary, which will be presented outside the Bass (itself a can’t-miss destination).

When in Miami, one must…

Remember to go to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a magical place created by unimaginable wealth with a large dose of fantasy; it’s well worth the detour.

The best way to discover new art…

Stick around and visit local artists’ studios and local art spaces off the beaten track; Miami is teeming with cultural activity, as I discovered some years ago when we were helping to evaluate a major foundation’s programs in the area. The art fair week crowd is only getting exposure to a tiny sliver of that.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)…

I have a soft spot for Casa Tua in Miami Beach and, otherwise, for neighborhood spots on the Miami side that the locals know.

Miami in one work of art…

If there is a single outdoor work in Miami that always captures my imagination, it is the Azulejo mural by the Brazilian artist and ceramicist Francisco Brennard, which covers the entire wall of the Bacardi Tower in Miami on Biscayne Boulevard.

Christian Viveros-Fauné

This year, I’m excited about...

Seeing the Gary Simmons survey at PAMM and Cultural Counsel’s party.

When in Miami, one must…

Embrace the tawdry.

The best way to discover new art…

Work for it.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Joe’s Stone Crab, Niu and, of course, Mac’s Club Deuce.

Miami in one work of art…

Anglo-Guyanese artist Hew Locke’s hanging boat installation For Those in Peril on the Sea (2011), permanently on view in PAMM’s lobby. A flotilla of dreams—both dashed and realized—comes to mind.

Marcella Zimmermann

This year, I’m excited about...

For the EDGLRD x Boiler Room party with Harmony Korine, Yung Lean, BLP Kosher, and Araabmuzik… follow me on Instagram to see the CARNAGE!

When in Miami, one must…

Run as fast as you can from the boardwalk directly into the ocean, ideally after midnight!! Let’s have some fun!!! 

The best way to discover new art…

Spam all the galleries from your Gmail to request a dinner invite… jk! Just cruise the NADA Miami Preview with an artist whose work you already love.

Favorite place for calories (liquid and otherwise)...

Is Tam Tam, a popular pop-up that survived COVID and just opened a permanent location in downtown Miami. The vibes are inspired by “quán nhậu,” a Vietnamese term that I think basically means a place to eat, drink, and have fun with your friends. There’s a karaoke machine… in the bathroom. Pro Tip: they’re open until 11:30PM just for this week.

Miami in one work of art…

Nicolas Lobo’s Brutal Workout. Picture this: a 10x10ft outdoor gym installed next to the city’s public transit. This sadist’s dream was only temporarily on view at The Underline back in 2017, but I’ll never forget this perfect metaphor for the city, and Miami Art Week in particular: not for the weak! Heavy metal. And silly :)

Nicolas Lobo, “Brutal Workout.” Courtesy: the artist and Nina Johnson.