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The New Tropic Local Favorites: 2022 Arts and Culture Guide

You love this city. You’ve made memories at concerts, sat in awe of dramatic theatrical performances, spent days at festivals, volunteered your time for a local arts org — and now, you’ve spoken. Thousands of you voted for your favorite art museum, festival, theater and more. 

The winners listed below received the most votes and hereby crowned as Miami’s Local Favorites. The next four with the most votes in each category are listed as honorable mentions. 

Craving more local culture? Subscribe to The New Tropic to satisfy your curiosity for the who, what, where and how that makes Miami home.

 

📸: @lazarollanescreative

LOCAL FAVORITE | Art Museum: Pérez Art Museum Miami

Who they are: Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is a modern and contemporary art museum. Located in the heart of downtown Miami, the green-friendly building is an architectural marvel designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron with an outdoor portico that lines Biscayne Bay. The museum offers 200,000 square feet of programmable space for the display of works of art, educational activities, relaxation and dining.

Why you voted for them: “Excellent programming and education makes folx feel welcome wherever they are in their art journey.” – Dejha C.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

 

ALL NOMINATED: 

The Bass — Frost Art Museum — World Erotic Art Museum — HistoryMiami Museum — Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science — Vizcaya Museum and Gardens — Pinecrest Gardens — Wolfsonian-FIU — Locust Projects — Pelican Playhouse — Peekaboo Studios — Ocean Drive Promenade — Museum of Graffiti — Central Fine

 

 

📸: @nikakramer

LOCAL FAVORITE | Gallery: Wynwood Walls

Who they are: The Wynwood Walls is the outdoor museum that has brought the world’s greatest artists working in the graffiti and street art genre to Miami.

Why you voted for them: “Changed the way we think about galleries, defined a neighborhood, honors the uniqueness of Miami.” – Grace D.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

 

ALL NOMINATED: 

Art Against All by Eurydice Eve — Central Fine — David Castillo Gallery — de la Cruz Collection — Etra Fine Art — Futurama Arts Marketplace — LnS Gallery — MIFA Miami International Fine Arts — Nina Johnson Gallery — Peekaboo Studios — Spinello Projects — Superblue Miami — Wyn 317 Art Gallery

 

 

📸: @osphotographystudio

LOCAL FAVORITE | Community Arts Organization: Rhythm Foundation

Who they are: The Rhythm Foundation creates shared cultural experiences that build and strengthen the diverse communities of South Florida through the presentation of live music. They believe that international cultural exchange injects empathy and positivity into the global conversation; cultural activity develops community and builds neighborhoods; sustainable practices are possible in event productions; Miami is a global city and our artists are world-class.

Why you voted for them: “One of the things I LOVE about the Rhythm Foundation is how well they curate an amazing lineup of concerts that help me discover new sounds! Many times, I have never even heard of the bands they bring to the Miami Beach Bandshell, but I know that if the Rhythm Foundation is involved, then it’s a band I need to go check out. -Dara S.

The Rhythm Foundation brings artists from all over the world, from different nations, different cultures, here to the gorgeous historic open air Miami Beach Bandshell, and creates such a positive community vibe connecting us all through music. At the same time, they have events that build our own local music scene and help local artists through events like the Youth Music Festival. There is a really unique feeling when you are at a Rhythm Foundation show — a feeling of togetherness and positivity — that is like no other venue.” – John A.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

 

ALL NOMINATED:
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County — All Kids Included — Art in Public Places — Artist in Residence at Everglades National Park (AIRIE) — Art Prevails — Arts & Business Council of Miami — Bakehouse Art Complex — Buskerfest Miami — Commissioner — Culture Shock Miami — Dance Now! Miami — Girls Empowerment and Mentoring at the Women’s Park — Guitars Over Guns — Hued Songs — IlluminArts — Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami — Jolt Radio — Karen Peterson and Dancers — Miamibloco — Miami-Dade Arts Education Collective — Miami Film Lab — Miami Girls Rock Camp — Miami Light Project — Moonlighter FabLab — O, Miami — Peekaboo Studios — Pelican Playhouse — Pinecrest Gardens — Summer Arts Conservatory- African Heritage Cultural Arts Center — Young Musicians Unite

 

 

📸: Courtesy of Adrienne Arsht Center 

LOCAL FAVORITE | Music Venue: Knight Concert Hall/Adrienne Arsht Center

Who they are: Named in honor of the philanthropic support to the Arsht Center by the Knight Foundation, the Knight Concert Hall, with entrances directly from N.E. 14th Street and from Biscayne Boulevard through the Thomson Plaza for the Arts, seats 2,200. The hall is home to several Arsht Center Signature Series: Knight Masterworks/Meidar and Alfi Family Foundation Classical Music Series, Jazz Roots, Live at Knight, Flamenco Festival Miami, Free Gospel Sundays, and Free Family Fests. The Knight Concert Hall also serves as a Miami stage for the New World Symphony and The Cleveland Orchestra.

Why you voted for them: “The 2,200 seat hall is not only a gorgeously warm hall, it is also tunable, in a sense, like a fine instrument. It can be precisely configured for a 100-piece orchestra one day and a chamber quartet the next – and it often does just that. On any given month, you can see New World Symphony or pianist Lang Lang; Miami’s genre-bending Nu Deco Ensemble or Cuban maestro Chucho Valdes leading his Afro-Cuban jam band.” – Richard M.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

 

ALL NOMINATED:
Center for Subtropical Affairs — Luna Star Cafe — Oasis Wynwood — Ocean Drive Promenade — Pinecrest Gardens — South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center — The Terrace at Club Space

 

 

📸: Courtesy of Adrienne Arsht Center 

LOCAL FAVORITE | Theater: Adrienne Arsht Center

Who they are: Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center is a hub for Broadway musicals, classical, jazz, local theater performances and free community events. The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. 

Why you voted for them: “The Arsht Center is the place to be to enjoy great quality theater in Miami – whether it’s the best of Broadway in the glamorous and plush Ziff Ballet Opera House or new award-winning plays by Miami’s best creatives in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater. It’s also the Miami home stage of the Florida Grand Opera and Miami City Ballet, experiences always brimming with drama and beauty. As the third largest stage in the country, the Ziff Ballet Opera House can host the biggest, most beautiful productions with ease.” – Richard M.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

 

ALL NOMINATED:
Just The Funny — Miami-Dade County Auditorium — O Cinema South Beach — South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center — Tower Theater

 

 

📸: Courtesy of Miami Book Fair 

LOCAL FAVORITE | Festival: Miami Book Fair

Who they are: The books are coming. And the readers and writers will follow, as they do by the hundreds of thousands every year for the Miami Book Fair International, an eight-day literary party in November. Founded in 1984, the festival has a number of events throughout the year celebrating local and international figures. 

Why you voted for them: “It draws crowds to downtown Miami to see scores of authors from all over the world. It foregrounds books and reading in an era that most often diminishes literature.” – Chauncey M.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

 

ALL NOMINATED:
Miami Beach Pride — Miami Short Film Festival — Third Horizon Film Festival — North Beach Music Festival — Sunpass Film Festival — Subtropics Biennial — Beaux Arts Festival — All Kids Included Family Arts Festival — New Music Miami ICSM Festival — Maker Faire Miami — Miami Improv Festival — City of Miami Beach Youth Music Festival — Ultra Music Festival — Mango Festival — Umbrellas of Little Havana

 

 

📸: Courtesy of City of Coral Gables

LOCAL FAVORITE | Cinema/Movie Theater: Coral Gables Art Cinema

Who they are: The Coral Gables Art Cinema is a state-of-the-art theater that opened in October of 2010 and is one of the best, most comfortable and highest grossing art houses in South Florida, presenting first-run and regional premieres of quality American independent and international features, both fiction and documentary, in addition to classic films, special programs and film festival events. 

Why you voted for them: “Coral Gables Art Cinema provides the best venue to watch avant garde and critically acclaimed films in the City Beautiful. Initially, I started out attending the monthly children’s programming with my family. Then, I became a member. P.S. – I love buying and framing the movie posters when they come down.” -Alicia G.E. 

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

ALSO NOMINATED:
AMC Sunset Place 24

 

📸: Courtesy of Art Basel

LOCAL FAVORITE | Event: Art Basel

Who they are: The American show of the legendary Art Basel held in Switzerland. Leading galleries from five continents show significant works by masters of Modern and contemporary art, as well as the new generation of emerging stars.

Why you voted for them: “Art Basel is like Christmas: you can’t wait for it to arrive and it never disappoints!” – John A.

“Not a fan of the traffic, but Art Basel is definitely one the highlights of the year. You feel the energy in the air. People love to show up and show out. Plus, it’s the best time of year to wear that outrageous outfit you have in your closet.” – Sandra P-A. 

“Art Basel has become a cultural phenomenon where your spirit and style can actually become part of Miami’s electrifying, colorful canvas all the while witnessing works by both well-established and emerging artists.” – Carlos G.

Website | Instagram

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

ALL NOMINATIONS:
SkateBird Miami — Annick Duvivier Solo Art Show — Maker Faire Miami — Style Swap — Miami Marathon — The Jellyfish Jam — The Villagers House Tour — Backyard Bash (SMDCAC)