Miami International Art Fair (MIA) 2012 Returns January 12th-16th Premieres Sculpture Miami

Miami, FL- November 2, 2011- International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE), founders of Art Miami in 1991, announced today the third edition of the Miami International Art Fair (MIA), January 12th-16th, 2012. Relocated to Miami’s premiere downtown entertainment district, MIA will bring together international and emerging artists to the waterfront scene for a five day extravaganza of art and culture. In addition MIA will premiere Sculpture Miami, a waterside installation and sculpture exhibition in Bayfront Park. Over thirty large scale sculptures by major international sculptors will be on public display beginning Dec. 5 through March 12.

MIA 2012 will be held aboard the 228-foot megayacht exhibition venue – SeaFair. The visionary vessel - which will remain dockside during the event - will be conveniently located at the Intercontinental Hotel Dock at 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, Florida. The acclaimed venue recently completed a summer tour of New England after re-launching in March of 2011 with a highly successful Art Sarasota, welcoming 18,000 attendees in five days. Miami will be the inaugural port of SeaFair’s winter Florida schedule.

The Fair will commence with a private preview, January 12th from 6:30-8:30pm, to honor the MOCA Shakers. Tickets to the event are $150 and include a year membership to the MOCA Shakers. The preview evening will continue with a Collectors’ Invitational from 8:30-10pm for additional distinguished collectors and VIP guests.

The contemporary fair will gather a carefully selected array of 30 international dealers presenting both established contemporary and emerging artists. Works will be composed of contemporary, cutting-edge art of all media including photography, painting, mixed-media, sculpture, installation and video. The mission of the fair is to showcase galleries representing the most talented and visionary artists of the 21st century.

MIA will continue last year’s unique format of unparalleled support it provides to the local Miami art community, integrating innovative and educational art projects linked to important local artists, museums and other art-related organizations. Partnerships have been established with MOCA, Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Art, Lowe Museum of Art and Boca Raton Museum of Art.

In 2011, MIA drew over 19,000 collectors almost doubling attendance from its inaugural year in 2010- 4,000 alone attended the opening night. Fair attendees came from 13 counties and over 26 states with notable Miami, Palm Beach, New York, European, and Latin American collectors in attendance. Many acclaimed the strong local influence seen throughout the fair, commenting on their appreciation for the diversity of artists represented as well as the different mediums and influences seen.

IFAE has entered into a strategic alliance with Mark Edward Partners, insurance brokers, and the Chartis insurers, leading property-casualty and general insurance providers, to serve as the exclusive insurance brokers and underwriters, respectively, for IFAE’s upcoming 2012 fair schedule. Additionally, Mark Edward Partners and Chartis will be sponsoring special events and lectures for collectors and vendors at MIA.

ABOUT SEAFAIR

SeaFair is the world's first mobile megayacht venue and one of the largest private yachts in the United States. Groundbreaking in scale, ingenuity and style, the innovative exhibition facility - which remains dockside during each event - pairs international fine art, jewelry and collectables with harbor view dining and special events in cities along the eastern seaboard.

The $40M purpose built exhibition yacht was designed by internationally acclaimed yacht designer Luiz de Basto. At 228 feet and 2,800 international tons, it is one of the largest ships built for commercial operation in the Intracoastal Waterway and requires a draft of only 6.5 feet, allowing it to dock at yacht facilities in central city locations rather than use commercial ports.