PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Staff Report

MIAMI – Little Haiti will once again become the heartbeat of all things art and Caribbean during the 2017 Art Basel season. Art Beat Miami has been called the ‘must attend’ art fair event taking place at the Caribbean Marketplace from Dec. 6-10. It is a collaboration of local galleries, businesses, community and civic arts organizations that include the Little Haiti Optimist Club, the Northeast Second Avenue Project (NE2P), MJ Diversity Consulting Group and Chefs of the Caribbean.

Starting from the Little Haiti Cultural Center and stretching the length of the NE 2 Avenue corridor, the 2017 season features the critically acclaimed Mural Mile public art walk, showcasing a collection of murals draped across 20 buildings.

This world-famous walk of art showcases work by some of South Florida’s best muralists on buildings spanning the Second Ave Corridor from NE 54 Street to NE 62 Street and 54 Street between NE 2 Avenue and NW 6 Avenue.

The festivities opened with a free Preview Party on Wednesday, December 6 with a special performance by musician Michael Benjamin, known as Mikaben.

Art Beat Miami has again partnered with Haiti’s Minister of Culture and Communication, who is sponsoring these visiting artists from Haiti who are exhibiting at this year’s Art Basel/Miami Art Week: Francois Hazel, Levoy Exil, Payas and Valerie Noisette.

For the art and culture aficionado, the wealth of offerings have something for everyone. Attendees will be able to submerge themselves in the flavor that is Little Haiti and enjoy art curated by Pulitzer Prize Winning Photojournalist Carl Juste; as well as work from artists, painters, sculptors and craftspeople from around the world, all with a unique strain of Caribbean DNA.

Guests will view art of celebrity notables such as Slip and Slide Records’ Ted Lucas, lead vocalist and guitarist Roberto Martino of famed Kompa band T-Vice, Theo of the Kompa band Kreyol La, Haitian-American best-selling novelist Edwidge Danticat, the reigning queen of Haitian music and one of the premier Haitian songwriters of her generation Emeline Michel, musician and lead singer of the dynamic Haitian band Harmonik, Mac D and Grammy-nominated Blues and R&B artist and painter Valerie Woods.

Beyond musicians and other celebs, Art Beat Miami will feature the great works of Master Haitian Vodou Painter Levoy Exil; Trinidadianborn artist to the stars Stuart McClean; and representing multiple and multinational artists, private collector Lobey Art & Travel. For a list of all participating artists, visit http://artbeatmiami.com/artists.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the work of the celebrity artists will benefit hurricane relief efforts and a portion of the exhibiting artists’ work sold will also support hurricane recovery efforts.

Art Beat Miami will also highlight the “Art of Food” with Spice It Up! Miami on Friday, Dec. 8 and the Chefs of the Caribbean Celebrity Brunch on Saturday, Dec. 9 honoring world-renowned Spanish-American James Beard Award recipient Chef Jose Andres, best known for bringing the small plate dining concept to America.

Chef Andres will be honored for his philanthropic work in disaster recovery efforts around the world. He has served over 3 million hurricane survivors in Puerto Rico and has worked in Haiti and other countries after natural disasters.

He will be presented with an award commissioned by the Little Haiti Optimist Club from renowned national artist CJ Latimore as well as a proclamation and special recognitions from City of Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime.