Deauville Resort, Miami Beach
by Onajide Shabaka
It is now time to start thinking about the apex of our art season, that first week of December when Art Basel Miami Beach and its satellite fairs come to town. Preparations are, of course, underway by everyone who will be an exhibiting participant of the various events.
On the evening of October 1st, NADA Art Fair invited a few galleries and journalists to join them to view their new venue, the Deauville Resort Hotel, on Collins Avenue.
The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) have given their upcoming 7th annual Miami art fair a make-over.
The fair moves from the gritty downtown Ice Palace to a pair of ballrooms at the Deauville Beach Resort in North Miami Beach. The ballrooms come with a hipster backstory: Sinatra and the Beatles have performed in those rooms.
To contain exhibitor costs, the fair has been shortened and runs December 3-6, at the back end of the Art Basel Miami Beach fair week.
NADA, a non-profit, has traditionally operated with an egalitarian spirit, offering exhibitors just one booth size.
Now as dealers watch their wallets, there is a choice of two booths sizes: smaller booths for solo presentations at $7,000, and larger booths for $9,000.
Pulse, a for-profit fair organizer geared towards emerging galleries, moves into the Ice Palace and charges exhibitors $13,000 for a medium-sized stand.
As the rush proceeds everyone is hoping for a good year. It would be foolish to expect record sales, but we can certainly hope for more than just breaking even. NADA’s new venue, sitting right on the beach, will also offer a bit of respite during the intense three days of the fair. It you’ve never sat at a booth then, you have no idea what it’s like. Taking breaks is mandatory and the beach, pool, and general area provides for the possibility of a few moments to refresh oneself.