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With Discounted Lease, Art Basel Return Targets Safety

Art Basel Miami Beach plans to return this year after its 2020 cancellation because of the pandemic.

The art exhibition that started in Switzerland in 1970 and has spread around the world, becoming one of Miami Beach’s most important yearly events, is coming back to the city with “robust measures to create a safe fair environment,” said an outside spokesperson.

Art Basel events contribute $400 million to $500 million annually to the economy of Miami Beach, according to a memo from City Manager Alina Hudak to commissioners. This year, organizers of Art Basel will pay a discounted $100,000 fee to the Miami Beach Convention Center to use its venues. That’s $691,000 less than Art Basel’s regular yearly contract with the Convention Center, according to the memo.

This year’s dates are Monday, Nov. 29, to Wednesday, Dec. 1, for the Meridians, Vernissage and other private exhibitions, which are by invitation only. Art Basel’s public exhibition days, which will have a limited number of tickets available beginning in October, will be Thursday, Dec. 2, to Saturday, Dec. 4.
“These adjustments allow us to better control occupancy in the halls and ensure a smooth operational delivery of the show,” said Art Basel organizers in a statement to John Copeland, director of cultural tourism at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

According to Mr. Copeland, the total capacity of attendees has not yet been determined by organizers.

“Directors of Art Basel remain fully committed to staging the show with the greatest number of galleries possible, based on any capacity or space restrictions imposed by the Miami Beach Convention Center or local protocols,” Mr. Copeland said. “October public ticket sales will be closely watched along with the response to VIP previews and special events to evaluate any last-minute changes.”

The Conversations Program will return this year, said Mr. Copeland, but no further information is yet available.

“The health and safety of our staff, exhibitors and visitors remains our primary concern and we are taking the situation very seriously,” the outside spokesperson for Art Basel said for the organization. “We are working closely with the relevant authorities, as well as following international public health recommendations, to ensure we deliver a safe show for our galleries, partners and visitors in December.”

Art Basel plans to continue its Online Viewing Rooms it started in 2020, with online catalogs and its podcast Intersections, bringing together artists, designers and collectors to talk about their love for art.

 

Source:  Miami Today

 

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