Culture Crawl: May 16
See more details below about what to expect this month.
October 2023 - May 2024
The City of Miami Beach is working alongside some of the world’s best cultural institutions to provide a night of free, unique and unforgettable experiences. Every third Thursday of the month, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Miami Beach will come alive with culture as various institutions and buildings open their doors to give you just a taste of what they have to offer. From backstage tours, exhibition openings, and free film screenings in the park, there will be something for everyone. All events are free unless otherwise noted.
The majority of the programming is accessible by foot and by bike, but we will also offer dedicated free trolleys that will drop you off and pick you up at our dedicated Culture Crawl stops – check out our monthly map to find your closest stop. Start where you would like and explore at your own leisure!
Let’s hit the street and get our monthly dose of culture! Tag us using @MiamiBeachNews on Twitter and Instagram to hop into our DM’s or use #CultureCrawl to be a part of the story on Facebook!
Next Culture Crawl
Thursday, May 16
6 P.M. to 9 P.M.
Elevate Española
Española Way - East Corridor | www.mbartsandculture.org
Trolley Stop: Washington Ave & 15 St
Heliotropic Seekers by Beatriz Chachamovits (March 2024 - May 2024)
Heliotropic Seekers features five brightly colored hanging plexiglass cutouts of various endangered species of fish and coral native to South Florida shores, including grouper, angel, grunt, blue tang and parrot fish joined by coral species such as elkhorn, pillar, staghorn, star, starlet and brain coral. The species overlap in various compositions, emphasizing the interdependence and diversity of coral reefs. Complementing the suspended cutouts is a mural painted in collaboration with students from Miami Beach Senior High School’s Painting 1 class.
Art Outside
Multiple locations throughout Miami Beach | www.artoutsidemb.org
Self - Guided Tours
With works ranging from monumental sculpture, neon, to sound and video, and participatory artworks, Art Outside is a public art exhibition initiated by The Bass that offers residents and visitors the opportunity to see and experience a network of public artworks throughout Miami Beach.
The Bass Museum
2100 Collins Avenue | www.thebass.org
Trolley Stop: Collins Ave & 21 St
Enjoy free museum admission from 6 PM – 9 PM
- Impromptu: Pop-Up Performance at Miami City Ballet
- Listen & Lounge Night, featuring Capuzzi, Silva and Busta
RSVP required. Limited seating. Stay tuned for RSVP link!
Performance at 6: 30 PM at Miami City Ballet, 2200 Liberty Avenue, Miami Beach, followed by complimentary wine selections by Dry Farm Wines at The Bass, 2100 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Culture Crawl to Miami City Ballet and back to The Bass for Third Thursdays.
Kicking off with Impromptu, a series choreographed and performed by Mami City Ballet world-class dancers, and ending at The Bass with live cello, drums and more by trio – Philip Capuzzi, Simon Silva, and Frank Busta.
Limited seating and standing room. No RSVP required.
Complimentary museum admission, and wine selections by Dry Farm Wines.
Inspired by Nam June Paik’s musical roots and TV Cello (2003), celloist Phillip Capuzzi, joined by Simon Silva, drummer, and Frank Busta, pianist and violinist, assemble for our latest edition of Listen & Lounge night in Social Assembly, a multipronged exhibition and flexible program to rethink and expand how we interact with and learn from art—and each other—in a museum setting.
Holocaust Memorial
1933 Meridian Avenue | www.holocaustmemorialmiamibeach.org
Trolley Stop: Meridian Ave & 19 St
- "The True Story of the MS St. Louis: The Ship That Attempted to Bring Jews Fleeing Nazi Germany to Miami Beach" with Dr. Diane Afoumado of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in partnership with the Miami Beach JCC
In summer 1939 more than 900 Jews from the Reich boarded the M.S. St. Louis hoping to escape Nazi persecution. Most of them had legal documents to disembark in Havana, which they hoped would be a place of refuge before they eventually emigrated to the U.S. The St. Louis even came to the shore of Miami, hoping that America would let them in. But complicated Cuban, American, and international politics forced the passengers back to Europe. After disembarkation in Antwerp, the refugees dispersed between Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain. Dr. Diane Afoumado will present the St. Louis’ dramatic story using archival documents, photos, and artifacts from the collections of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, placing that tale into the larger context of the refugee crisis of the late 1930s.
Registration Link: The True Story of the MS St. Louis: The Ship That Attempted to Bring Jews Fleeing Nazi Germany to Miami Beach (jewishmiami.org)
The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU
301 Washington Avenue | jmof.fiu.edu
Trolley Stop: Washington Ave & 3rd St
The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU invites you to experience their open galleries this Culture Crawl.
- Operation Moses | On November 19, 1984, Tudor Parfitt, an FIU professor, arrived in Sudan. He had been sent by the London-based Minority Rights Group to investigate reports that the Ethiopian Jews or Beta Israel as they called themselves, were being poisoned by Christian Ethiopians in the refugee camps. The camps had sprung up along the Sudanese-Ethiopian border to provide shelter for starving people fleeing the civil war and the Great Famine of 1983-5, which was a landmark in global humanitarianism. The Ethiopian Jews were known in Ethiopia as Falasha, a pejorative term meaning alien or exile.
- The Hate Around Us |Hatred is perhaps the oldest of human emotions, forming the basis of much of our recorded history since the biblical story of Cain and Abel. One particularly virulent form of hatred stands out for its uncanny ability to adapt to varying cultures and historical conditions: antisemitism, the hatred of the Jews. Sadly, despite the tremendous, unprecedented freedoms enjoyed by Jews in America, antisemitism has been preserved, and even nurtured among certain circles in American society. Florida’s constitution, written in 1838, protected its citizens’ freedom of religion. However, no constitution can protect people from individual bias, group bigotry or the arrogance of ignorant minds. As numbers of Jews increased in Florida, so did the discriminatory acts against them, especially during times of economic or social crises. The Hate Around Us takes the viewer through over 100 years of antisemitism in Florida through artifacts, photographs, and historical documents, culled from collection of The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU and various private lenders.
Miami Beach Jewish Community Center - MBJCC
4221 Pine Tree Drive | www.mbjcc.org
- "The True Story of the MS St. Louis: The Ship That Attempted to Bring Jews Fleeing Nazi Germany to Miami Beach" with Dr. Diane Afoumado of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, in partnership with the Miami Beach JCC
In summer 1939 more than 900 Jews from the Reich boarded the M.S. St. Louis hoping to escape Nazi persecution. Most of them had legal documents to disembark in Havana, which they hoped would be a place of refuge before they eventually emigrated to the U.S. The St. Louis even came to the shore of Miami, hoping that America would let them in. But complicated Cuban, American, and international politics forced the passengers back to Europe. After disembarkation in Antwerp, the refugees dispersed between Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain. Dr. Diane Afoumado will present the St. Louis’ dramatic story using archival documents, photos, and artifacts from the collections of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, placing that tale into the larger context of the refugee crisis of the late 1930s.
Registration Link: The True Story of the MS St. Louis: The Ship That Attempted to Bring Jews Fleeing Nazi Germany to Miami Beach (jewishmiami.org)
Miami Beach Urban Studios - FIU
1618 Washington Avenue | www.carta.fiu.edu/mbus
Trolley Stop: Washington Ave & 17 St
- Washington Gallery & Design Gallery | 1618 Washington Avenue
6PM - 8:30 PM | Flip Tricks
Join Miami Beach Urban Studios for the opening of Flip Tricks. This skateboarding exhibition features artists Grace Cox, Nicki Gelpi, Jennay Say Qua, MaryCarmen Leiva, and Elyssa Llanso.
Miami City Ballet
2200 Liberty Avenue | www.miamicityballet.org
Trolley Stop: Collins Ave & 21 St
- 6:30 PM | Impromptu: A Miami Beach Pop-up Performance Series
Miami City Ballet’s Impromptu pop-up performances bring the joy of ballet into the Miami Beach community making the art accessible for all. The pop-up performances are new works choreographed and performed by MCB’s world-class dancers, offering audiences a fresh way to experience ballet in unique setting. After the performance, guests are invited to The Bass Museum of Art for live music and complimentary wine selections by Dry Farm Wines.
*Tickets are free with registration. Be sure to reserve here.
Moonlighter FabLab
1661 Pennsylvania Avnue | www.moonlighterfablab.org
Trolley Stop: Washington & 17th St
- THE UNDERWATER by Xavier Cortada
Miami-Dade County artist-in-residence Xavier Cortada engages the public with “The Underwater”, a socially engaged art project debuting at The Phase Gallery in Moonlighter FabLab Miami Beach during The Aspen Ideas Climate Summit and will remain on view through May 31st, 2024. This community-based initiative calls attention to the climate crisis through site-specific yard signs that creatively reveal South Florida’s vulnerability to rising seas, spark climate conversations, and catalyze civic engagement.
Visitors of The Underwater exhibit are introduced to the county-wide initiative, then encouraged to engage in the participatory art project by discovering the elevation of their home and drawing that number on a blank yard sign. Once residents place these elevation marked signs in their front yard, curiosity from neighbors, friends, and family is instantly sparked as the meaning of the number is unknown to anyone not familiar with the project.
O Cinema
1130 Washington Avenue | www.o-cinema.org
Trolley Stop: Washington Ave & 12 St
- 7 PM | The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed
Filmmaker Joanna Arnow’s darkly funny debut comedy, which world-premiered in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight and is executive produced by Sean Baker (THE FLORIDA PROJECT), follows a 30-something New York woman (Joanna Arnow) navigating, with often absurd results, her long-term casual BDSM relationship, her low-level corporate job and her quarrelsome Jewish family, all with a defiant shrug. After nearly a decade in a non-exclusive, consensually kinky relationship with a much older and seemingly successful man, Ann begins to take the reins (or at least acknowledge them). This awakening sparks a small blip in her daily existence, leading to increasingly astute and funny vignettes in which each extended pause spurs cringey laughter. With this winningly clever and wry send-up of the absurdity of modern millennial living, writer/director/star Arnow has crafted a brutally honest, deadpan document of the chaos of life in NYC as an apathetic observer to an already sinking ship.
- 9 PM | Harmony Korine's Aggro Dr1ft
In the seedy domain of Miami’s criminal underbelly, a seasoned hitman embarks on the relentless pursuit of his next target. The movie is shot entirely through thermal lens as he navigates a twisted world where violence and madness reign supreme. Tensions unravel, leading to a psychedelic journey that blurs the lines between predator and prey.
The Wolfsonian - FIU
1001 Washington Avenue | www.wolfsonian.org
Trolley Stop: Collins Avenue & 11 St
- 6:15 PM | Latest Exhibitions Guided Tour
For this month's Culture Crawl, learn more about The Wolfsonian's current exhibition Silhouettes: Image and Word in the Harlem Renaissance, Harry Clarke and the Geneva Window, The Big World: Alternative Landscapes in the Modern Era, and What's on the Menu during a free curator-led tour starting at 6:15pm.
- 7 PM | Latest Exhibitions Guided Tour
While our new installation Smoke Signals: Cigar Cutters and Masculine Values focuses on men and smoking culture, women have always been integral to the cultivation of tobacco and production of cigars. Learn about these contributions from the founders of Tres Lindas Cubanas Cigars, Yvette and Yvonne Rodriguez, as they share family stories and insights about Afro-Cuban women in the cigar industry during a conversation moderated by museum educator Susana Perez. Arrive early to see the show and chat with Smoke Signals' curator, Lea Nickless. Co-presented with FIU's CasaCuba.
The Art Design Project Miami Gallery
435 21st Street | www.theartdesignproject.com
The Art Design Project gallery promotes the intersection of art and design, representing the work of emerging and established artists. The gallery curates physical and online art exhibitions, as well as pop-up exhibits and alternative engagements around the world, where patrons can purchase artworks directly from our art selection of the artists we represent, from our archives, or through our online art partners.
- 6:30 PM - 9 PM | The Last Storm
Join The Art Design Project Gallery for a private viewing of The Last Storm. This group art exhibition features mixed media, paintings, photography, and so much more. Bring a friend and enjoy drinks and a live music performance.
Washington Avenue BID Miami Beach
555 Washington Ave | www.washavemb.com
Trolley Stop: Washington Avenue & 4 St
- 6PM - 8 PM | Muhammad Historical Timeline Exhibit
The Washington Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) is celebrating a landmark tribute event honoring Muhammad Ali's unparalleled legacy, commemorating the 60th anniversary of his historic victory over Sonny Liston. As you enter the exhibit, you're greeted by a dazzling array of artifacts and memorabilia that chronicle Ali's meteoric rise to fame. Admire authentic boxing gloves adorned with his signature, robes that once draped his shoulders before stepping into the ring, and vivid illustrations capturing pivotal moments in his illustrious career.
The Lifeguard, Cafe and Restuarant
1423 Washington Ave | www.edwarsimal.com
Trolley Stop: Washington Avenue & 15 St
Permanent exhibition featuring Venezuelan artist, Edwar Simal Chang, who moved to Miami Beach eight years ago. Visitants can enjoy his biggest artwork of all 36 Lifeguard Towers of Miami Beach. In one place, visitors can realize the differences between all the towers.
VISU CONTEMPORARY
2160 Park Ave #100 | www.visugallery.com
Trolley Stop: Collins Ave & 21 St
Visu Contemporary is proud to announce the opening of its new exhibition “Loaded” featuring sculptures by artist Al Farrow.
An accomplished sculptor in a wide variety of media, Farrow adopts the language of a particular historical period for his work, updating the imagery or material to make cogent observations about contemporary society. In recent years he has used munitions—bullets, guns, hand grenades, bombs—to make three-dimensional projects that resemble Christian reliquaries, Islamic mosques and Jewish synagogues. The surprising inventiveness and the technical tour-de-force of his craftsmanship are highlighted in his work. Farrow denigrates no one belief in his work, being mindful, respectful, discriminating, and probing toward all. His striking composite depictions of religious architectural structures are meticulously realized and perfectly scaled.
The gallery is just across the street from The Bass Museum in Miami Beach (22nd & Park Avenue).
NORTH BEACH
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Normandy Fountain
- 7 PM to 9 PM | L Experience Des Arte
7802 Rue Vendome | www.normandyfountain.com
Dive into the world of Art with our immersive art classes designed to unleash your creativity and elevate your skills. Led by a master teacher, each class offers personalized guidance and instruction to help you bring your artistic vision to life.
All inclusive experience - including all art materials, appetizers, drinks and music played by live musicians!
- Miami Beach Bandshell
- 7pm | North Beach Social: The French Horn Collective
7275 Collins Ave | www.miamibeachbandshell.com
An authentic and original French Gypsy jazz experience by one of South Florida's most beloved ensembles. The 7-pieces band, led by trumpeter Vincent Raffard, will play original tunes and classics from the gypsy jazz repertoire. Come dancing under the stars with us!
LINCOLN ROAD
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Lincoln Road Business Improvement District
Lincoln Road | www.lincolnrd.com
Trolley Stop: Washington Ave & 17 St
R-Evolution™ by Marco Cochrane
Lincoln Road, the iconic outdoor shopping, dining and cultural destination situated in the heart of Miami Beach, announces the arrival of a monumental 45-foot-tall, 32,000-pound sculpture named ‘R-EvolutionTM’, that will glow in the sun and illuminate at night thanks with RGB LED lights. The towering nude female sculpture, which will be showcased on the East Coast for the first time ever, first debuted at Burning Man and was designed by Marco Cochrane, the artist behind monumental sculptures seen at the Smithsonian Art Museum and the $4.3 billion Resorts World.
Living Art Festival
Welcome to the mesmerizing world of the Living Art Landscape Festival! Prepare to be enchanted by a unique celebration that seamlessly blends nature, creativity, and imagination. This extraordinary festival is a captivating fusion of artistic expression and the natural world, where every corner holds a delightful surprise. Stroll and enjoy the reimagined landscape planters from Meridian to Washington on Lincoln Road. Five, local landscape designers provide their creative touch to these lush areas. From orchids to art installations, you will be enchanted with the natural footprint along Lincoln Road’s pedestrian walkway.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Self-guided Tour on Lincoln Road
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden has reimagined the landscape of Lincoln Road as a botanic garden, providing public, smartphone-accessible interpretation of the plants. Over 120 QR-coded signs are installed on trees, palms, and orchids (which number 1,250), connecting visitors to plant-specific information and media. The information can be accessed as a self-guided tour or as on-demand information about individual plants. It includes English and Spanish text, photos, and video. The tour focuses on the most notable elements of the historic Lincoln Road landscape, providing the name, origin, and significance of each plant. The most conspicuous and important plants are linked to descriptive videos created by Fairchild scientists. The interpretation allows Lincoln Road to function as a curated botanic garden. Enjoy.
Habitat Hyett
441 Lincoln Road
Kfir Moyal Gallery
933 Lincoln Road
LUMAS Gallery
737 Lincoln Road
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