Art Basel cancels 2020 Miami Beach fair show due to pandemic

"The application fees will be rolled over to 2021 for accepted galleries," the statement said. The next edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach will take place from December 2 to December 5, 2021, with preview days on December 1-2, 2021..

The 2020 edition of the Art Basel fair in Miami Beach has been canceled "given the current situation regarding the pandemic's impact", fair organizers said on Thursday. One of the largest art fairs in the world, the four-day event was scheduled to take place from December 3 at the Miami Beach Convention Centre.

With the pandemic's impact spanning from South Florida to other parts of the US and the world, the organizers said they had "no other option" but to call off the event. Limitations and uncertainty about the staging of large-scale events, international travel restrictions, and bans, as well as quarantine regulations within the United States and internationally, were among other determining factors behind the decision.

"It is with great regret and disappointment that we announce the cancellation of our December show in Miami Beach, as we know how crucial our show is for our galleries, as well as for the greater Miami art community and economy. "We thank everyone who shared their perspectives and insights with us over the past months and weeks and look forward to returning to Miami Beach next year to deliver a successful show," Noah Horowitz, Director Americas, Art Basel said. Earlier this year, Art Basel also announced the cancellation of its Hong Kong and Basel editions. Several other major art fairs, including Frieze, New York, and Art Dubai faced the same fate due to the ongoing pandemic.

To continue supporting the global gallery community for all three of its editions, Art Basel has launched several digital initiatives. It will be hosting two individual thematic editions of its 'Online Viewing Rooms' -- 'OVR:2020', dedicated to artworks produced during 2020 and running from September 23 to 26, and 'OVR:20c', presenting works created between 1900 and 1999 from October 28 to 31. These digital events will be followed in December by OVR that will be open to all galleries accepted to the 2020 edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach.

Art Basel has also decided to waive off the "participation/booth fees" for the galleries for its December show at the Miami Beach. "The application fees will be rolled over to 2021 for accepted galleries," the statement said.

The next edition of Art Basel in Miami Beach will take place from December 2 to December 5, 2021, with preview days on December 1-2, 2021.