Artistically Social

Arts in Miami Through the Eyes of Amy Rosenberg

Amy Rosenberg is an attorney and arts advocate who founded the Overtown Music Project and the Arsht Center’s young patrons group. She is the co-founder of the environmental non-profit Dream in Green. Amy is a member of Art Basel’s Junior Host Committee and sits on the Board of the Funding Arts Network. She also serves on the New World Symphony’s Friends Committee as well as The Wolfsonian-FIU’s Visionaries Committee.

October’s swirl of arts activities upped the cultural ante and made this writer increase her vitamin intake.

The Miami International Wine Fair, now in its ninth year, drew a broad swath of wine aficionados to the Miami Beach Convention Center. Fair attendees were treated to decadent bites like Atrio’s truffled meat balls, Malbec from Puro Uno and spirited rounds of flippy cup (the last part I made up).

The Ceviche Throwdown at Sugarcane Raw Bar Grille continued the Miami International Wine Fair’s reign over the weekend and attracted a lively and charitable crowd desirous of raw proteins. Funds raised from the event went to the Friends of the Fisherman, a non-profit that helps Gulf Coast fisherman. The event featured Miami’s cheftastic Bernie Matz, Timon Balloo, Kris Wessel and Andrea Curto- Randazzo. Bernie’s ceviche got my vote for the best offering of the day but he didn’t take home the prize.

New World Symphony’s musically hip Friends group celebrated October with a side of sky and bay at The Standard Hotel. Guests were treated to live, sultry Latin music performed by Rebekah Diaz and Emanuel Schvartzman and a DJ and percussion set by Roberto Castillo.

The Miami Symphony Orchestra put on a beautiful performance in front of a packed crowd at the Adrienne Arsht Center featuring jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. The evening had a Latin flair. Also on the program, led by virtuoso conductor Eduardo Marturet, were Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Ravel’s Bolero.

MoCA’s Leadership Circle met for its second event at the fabulous de la Cruz home on Key Biscayne. Rosa de la Cruz led a tour through her cavernous and museum-like home and explained her fever for collecting and her contemporary collection. Guests dressed to the nines ooh’ed and ahh’ed over the special experience.

NADA, the New Art Dealer’s Alliance, turned Canyon Ranch into an arty party scene with their afternoon pool party. The event was highlighted by a performance and video installation by Psychic Youth, the performance art troupe headed by Federico Nessi. On the terrace, guests were treated to a set by DJ Nektar De Stagni. NADA will be at Canyon Ranch during this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach.

Tarrell McCraney graced the stage of New World School of the Arts for a fundraiser that coincided with his birthday. Together with friends, alumni and former faculty of New World, he performed a special reading of excerpts from his acclaimed trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays. Tarell was joined on stage by his best friends and fellow actors Glenn Davis and Sterling Brown. These three very talented thespians were able to take the audience through a gamut of emotions during nearly 90 minutes of reading.

Alternative art space, Locust Projects hosted 200 guests for How to Art Basel, an event allowing guests unique access to the December event. An illustrious host committee made up of Art Basel Miami Beach’s Stefanie Block Reed, MoCA’s Bonnie Clearwater, The Bass’s Silvia Karman Cubina, Design Miami’s Alexandra Cunningham, Associate Curator of MAM’s Rene Morales, artist Adler Guerrier, private collectors Myrna Palley and Kathryn and Dan Miksell and gallerist Fred Snitzer, took the group through the Fair and offered an exclusive, inside look. When the guests were not drinking Bustelo coffee or sipping Ketel One Bloody Marys, they were admiring the walls of Locust Projects, set to have its annual Smash & Grab fundraiser. The hosts self-curated 10 minutes conversations with groups of twenty and then switched groups. Speed dating for the arts!

Until next time….