THIS SEASON, THE CITY TURNS INTO A STAGE FOR ART, TASTE, AND TOGETHERNESS.
Leonardo da Vinci was centuries ahead of his time, and this fall Miami gets a front-row seat to his genius. “Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius” opens at Frost Science with the most comprehensive exhibition ever mounted on the artist. Visitors will encounter full-scale inventions crafted from his notebooks, life-size art reproductions, and multisensory galleries that explore everything from anatomy to flight. A highlight is the Mona Lisa gallery, which reveals new insights into the world’s most famous painting through cutting-edge scientific analysis. Whether you’re drawn to art, engineering, or science, da Vinci’s enduring brilliance proves as relevant today as it was five centuries ago.
Dania Beach’s MAD Arts launches its fall season with immersive installations that challenge how we perceive technology, nostalgia, and the future. National artist Clown Vamp debuts The Junk Machine, an AI-powered robot spewing surreal “junk mail” on demand. London duo Studio Above&Below introduces Regenerative Symphony and Quantum Lens, works that blend science and data-driven art to imagine new models for sustainability and quantum realities. Meanwhile, Miami-based artist RUTAMFI unveils Rose Tinted, a dreamlike meditation on memory, desire, and identity. Together, these shows highlight MAD Arts’ mission as a hub where creativity and technology intersect in playful and provocative ways.
Opening in December, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami mounts the most comprehensive survey to date of American painter Joyce Pensato (1941–2019). Known for her energetic, enamel-soaked canvases, Pensato blurred the line between abstract expressionism and pop culture, layering cartoon figures with raw emotion. The exhibition spans five decades, including her iconic Batman series and Mickey Mouse studies, alongside lesser-seen works from the 1980s and 1990s. With more than 65 pieces, this show is both a celebration and a long-overdue recognition of an artist whose gaze captured the complexities of American culture. Admission remains free, making this a must-see for Miami’s art community.
Canadian artist Sandra Chevrier makes her Miami gallery debut with A Cage & a House in it, opening October 24 at Goldman Global Arts Gallery in Wynwood Walls. The exhibition features 35 new works blending painted portraiture with hand-painted comic book fragments, exploring themes of resilience, identity, and liberation. Chevrier’s signature style portrays women navigating the “cages” of societal expectation and personal struggle while asserting their power. Curated by Jessica Goldman Srebnick, the show amplifies women’s voices through bold, unflinching imagery. With works on canvas, rice paper, and mosaics, the exhibition offers a layered dialogue about freedom, strength, and the masks we wear.
The Miami Book Fair, the nation’s longest-running literary festival, returns to Miami Dade College’s Wolfson Campus from November 16–23, marking its 42nd year with more than 550 authors from over 35 countries. Headliners include Daniel Silva, Padma Lakshmi, Kenny Chesney, Art Spiegelman, Larry Charles, and Miami’s own Edwidge Danticat. Highlights range from the lively Opening Day Block Party and star-studded Evenings With conversations to the Next Page Dinner, where guests dine alongside acclaimed writers. The three-day Street Fair transforms downtown with hundreds of booksellers, live music, and the beloved Children’s Alley. This year’s Fair promises a global celebration of ideas, stories, and the enduring joy of reading.
WAYS TO RAISE AWARENESS, SUPPORT, AND CELEBRATE IN OCTOBER.
The Miami Design District unveils its first major permanent commission with Ad Minoliti’s Pink Spatial Microbiota. Transforming the four-story stairwell of the Buick Building, the Argentine artist reimagines the space as a surreal digestive tube populated by geometric, playful figures. Drawing from microbiota, queer theory, and Latin American avant-garde traditions, the work turns architectural space into a living organism. Beyond the installation, Minoliti led a zine-making workshop with Dale Zine, extending the project’s playful ethos into print culture. This commission cements Miami Design District’s role as a platform for global voices while offering a distinctly humorous and subversive take on public art.
Miami’s fall calendar heats up with food festivals that spotlight culinary talent. The South Beach Seafood Festival (Oct. 22–25) serves as the official start to stone crab season with four days of beachfront feasts, pairing dinners, and the high-energy VIP Chef Showdown. This year’s edition introduces An Evening in Miami Beach, a two-night dinner series at marquee restaurants including Carbone, Rao’s, and Catch. For a more intimate experience, the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America: Miami returns Oct. 29 at Sra. Martinez, uniting chef Aaron Brooks of Sunny’s with Michelle Bernstein. From sandy stages to storied dining rooms, October and November offer the perfect excuse to savor Miami’s rich culinary scene.
For tickets and information, visit sobeseafoodfest.com and jamesbeard.org/events/taste-america-series.
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts kicks off its landmark 20th season with nearly 100 performances spanning dance, theater, and music. Highlights this fall include Miami City Ballet’s Peck: Miami in Motion (Oct. 17–19), a season-opening concert by the Miami Symphony Orchestra (Nov. 16), and Rennie Harris Puremovement’s NUTTIN’ BUT A WORD (Oct. 30–Nov. 1). Outdoor concerts in the Live on the Plaza series add intimate evenings under the stars, featuring local acts such as Bossa Fusion and Idyllic Funk Band. With a legacy of community impact and world-class programming, the Arsht continues to be a cornerstone of Miami’s cultural identity.
