I’ve heard stories about people’s exciting Art Basel experiences in Miami — the art, the parties, the celebrities, the heat— but nothing prepares you for being there in person. Just thinking about it gives me sheer sensory overload!
This year was my first time experiencing Art Basel for myself, and from the moment I arrived, I understood what makes people return to the premier international contemporary art fair year after year. There’s truly nothing like it.
Ahead, learn about my week-long trip!
Art Basel Is As Much About The City As It Is The Art
For starters, Miami in December moves differently. For example, how many places in the United States can you enjoy 80 degrees in the winter?
My friends and I had a great time as we took a free water taxi from downtown to South Beach. (You can’t do this in New York during the winter.)
Before you even see a piece of art, the energy hits you. The sun bouncing off glass buildings, the murals wrapped around Wynwood, and fashionable people from all over buzzing from event to event. Everyone feels like a character in a story that hasn’t fully revealed itself yet.
Art Basel: My First Time Experience
I attended several events during the week, including the SCOPE Art Show, the Revolt Art Fair, Hip Hop Beauty, and Basel B.A.E | Black Art Experience. It was so much to see!
I truly enjoyed looking at the work of Soul Streamz, who debuted The Self That Survives, during Red Dot Miami 2025. “My goal with this work was to bridge the gap between #poetry and the fine #arts,” Alexa Chanelle writes on Instagram.
Walking into events like “The Art of Hip Hop” featuring Slawn and Opake was more than art; it was an immersive exhibition. Living up to the #MiamiArtWeek hype, the show featured bold cartoonish style artwork and a boxing ring in the middle of The Art of Hip Hop gallery, where rapper Benny the Butcher performed.
The Vibe Of Art Basel 2025
The scale was overwhelming. Rooms upon rooms of galleries from every continent, each space packed with people whispering, pointing, posting, and debating.
I went in thinking the event was just about fine art and high prices. What I discovered was much deeper.
I found myself drawn to bold, abstract pieces that felt alive, portraits that stopped me mid-stroll, sculptures that blurred the line between art and engineering, and installations that dared to ask questions without offering answers.
I caught myself lingering longer than I expected — not because I fully understood everything I saw, but because I felt something. That’s when I realized: Art Basel isn’t about knowing art, it’s about experiencing it.
Wynwood: A Living Gallery
Wynwood was like a block party. Every inch of the Miami neighborhood was transformed with murals, pop-ups, open studio doors, DJs spinning from rooftops, food trucks, and brands activating on every corner.
The artistry wasn’t confined to walls; it was in the people, the outfits, the music, the conversations in line at coffee shops.
I fell in love with how accessible creativity felt. Even if you don’t have a VIP badge or a collector’s budget, Wynwood reminds you that art belongs to everyone. I spent more time in Wynwood than going to South Beach.
The Parties Are Part Of The Story (Let’s Be Honest)
No Basel recap is complete without acknowledging the parties.
Some events were intimate and art-forward. Others felt like being dropped into a music video.
Whether it was a warehouse show in Wynwood or a rooftop DJ set, the nights felt electric. Unc’s Arte Haus and McDonald’s partnered up to pull off a full surprise takeover — with Young Jeezy and the FAMU Marching Band roaring in like a movie scene.
And just when I thought the night had peaked, Case and Young Joc turned the Snack Wrap Party into a block party with free drinks, free snack wraps, fries, and even Grimace — my childhood icon — popping out on stage.
Basel at night felt limitless. The best parts? The conversations. Hearing artists explain their influences, meeting creators from across the world, and swapping Instagram handles with people you’d never meet anywhere else was an entire mood.
What I’m Taking With Me From The Experience
While attending the Women in Media and Marketing Art Basel Edition workshop hosted by Destini Amaris and Kaiya Williams, I was reminded that who you know makes a difference.
Relationships are the most valuable thing you can carry. Who you know will get you into the door, and the people that you surround yourself with will make moments like these most memorable.
There’s nothing like seeing people unapologetically express themselves on canvases, on walls, and even through the way they move through the city. Art Basel cracked something open in me: a reminder that art doesn’t need permission, and neither do we.
Leaving Miami, I felt creatively recharged. Inspired. More curious. More open. This was my first time at Art Basel, but definitely not my last.
I’ve never been to Art Basel, you convinced me to go next year! Sounds like so much fun. 😁