MIAMI’S OUTDOOR ARTS & CULTURE

By Taima Hervas ArtBurstMiami.com

You’ve heard about Miami’s arts & culture scene? Well, we’re here to tell you about everything to be found outdoors – sculptures, murals, music festivals and more.

Stunning natural beauty. A rich biodiversity. And a vast and varied tapestry of outdoor events and programs dedicated to the visual arts, dance, music and more. Greater Miami & Miami Beach has it all and invites you to breathe in the fresh air while you behold the spectacles all around.

Art In Public Places

Are you a cultural explorer? Then you’re in luck because we have installations by best-in-class artists tucked away in parks, near the beach and in front of a stadium.

They’re just about everywhere –and they’re ready to be found. Thanks to Miami-Dade County’s Art in Public Places program, the region is home to one of the largest public art collections in the United States. So you can go on the hunt for treasures such as Erwin Redl’s “Volume Miami,” Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s “The Dropped Bowl, with Scattering Slices and Peels,” and Forrest Myers’ “Lazers Maze.” The official website (Miamidadepublicart.org) has a handy map, so you can curate your own tour.

Wynwood

Don’t feel like driving around from piece to piece? Get a one-stop visual experience at Wynwood, one of our top arts destinations. Casually walk the neighborhood and revel in the ever-changing wall murals, or join a guided tour at the Museum of Graffiti or at Wynwood Walls. No matter which way you look, Wynwood has something to see and do.

Parks

In Greater Miami & Miami Beach, finding art al fresco is a walk in the park. Literally. (And not just because the aforementioned Art in Public Places program has pieces placed at parks.)

Take Everglades National Park, for example. Once you’re done marveling at the great outdoors, take a tour through one of its art exhibitions. The park has an Artist In Residence In Everglades (AIRIE) program that welcomes writers, curators, choreographers, musicians and other creatives to develop unique interpretations inspired by the 1.5 million-acre wetland and its inhabitants. Some exhibitions start at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and wind along trails and boardwalks throughout the park.

Of course, music is also art – and several parks host music festivals and events throughout the year. At Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach, join an open jam session every first Sunday of the month as part of a bluegrass festival. Greynolds was considered a hippie hot spot back in the day, and today it also hosts the annual Love-In Music Festival – a full day of tunes from the ’60s through the ’80s, plus food vendors, costume contests and classic car displays.

And speaking of music festivals, you don’t want to miss the annual Blues Concert BBQ festival at Homestead’s Fruit & Spice Park. This 37-acre subtropical oasis invites you to a world of exotic fruits, herbs, spices and nuts from around the world plus great melodies. Who could ask for anything more?

DEERING ESTATE & VIZCAYA

The grand Deering Estate in South Dade’s Palmetto Bay neighborhood is architecturally impressive and features the largest virgin coastal tropical hardwood hammock in the United States. As if that weren’t enough, it’s also home to an Artist in Residence Program. That means on any given day, you have visual, performing, literary and crossdisciplinary creatives working at their craft, inspired by their surroundings and engaging with the public. The estate – once home to industrialist Charles Deering – offers exhibits, films, concerts and more. By the way, if you think gardens are also works of art, which we do, be sure to visit Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. The creation of Deering’s half-brother, James, the inner workings of the home are dazzling in and of themselves, but the views outside are even more breathtaking, if that’s possible.