MIA celebrates 50 years of local art in public places

Whether it’s for a brief glance or a gleeful selfie, travelers at Miami International Airport get to experience award-winning art in public places every time they drive into the airport’s parking entrance, take the MIA people mover to the Miami Intermodal Center, walk to their gate in concourses D or J, or exit passport control from South Terminal.

From now until July 2025, passengers in MIA’s Concourse D can admire these integrated airport installations and more from across Miami-Dade County in one place, thanks to the photography exhibition Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places: Celebrating 50 Years at MIA’s Gate D31 Gallery. The exhibition features 23 images of large-scale, integrated art commissions located countywide, from MIA to PortMiami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and several private-public partnerships on county land. Established in 1973, the Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places program is one of the first public art programs in the United States of its kind.

“I am thrilled that millions of our visitors from around the world will learn more about our groundbreaking Art in Public Places Program because of this impressive collection of stunning images at MIA,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Public art installations have played an enormous role in Miami-Dade County’s cultural experience over the past 50 years, and passengers at MIA can now get a glimpse of our world-renowned program without even leaving the airport.”

Under the direction of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Art in Public Places program is an award-winning program that commissions artists for art installations as part of new construction on public land, enriching the experience of public environments and enhancing the artistic and civic pride of Miami-Dade County.

Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places commissions significant permanent public artworks from local, national, and international contemporary visual artists, making public art accessible by reaching diverse audiences in unexpected places throughout Miami-Dade County. For five decades, the program has transformed public spaces from ordinary civic areas to attractive, and inspiring buildings that lift the spirit and connect with the community.

The Miami-Dade County public art collection features more than 1,000 works, including monumental and integrated works of art. Often created through remarkable collaborations with celebrated architects and designers, these large-scale commissions feature the works of renowned national and global artists as well as outstanding artists based in Miami-Dade County. The collection reflects the growth and complexity of Miami-Dade County over the last 50 years and offers residents and visitors innovative, museum-quality artworks in the public realm.

With the support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs directs the Art in Public Places program and serves its board, the Art in Public Places Trust, by commissioning, curating, maintaining, and promoting the County’s public art collection. The artworks are selected through a competitive process through a Professional Advisory Committee comprised of experts in the fields of art, architecture, and design. For more information about the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Art in Public Places program visit www.miamidadepublicart.org.

Editor's Note: Click here to view images

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Miami International Airport, America’s busiest airport for international freight and the second busiest for international passengers, is receiving an unprecedented investment of $9 billion in capital improvements and maintenance upgrades. MIA offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport and is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating business revenue of $31.9 billion and approximately 60 percent of all international visitors to Florida annually.

 To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language Interpreters, CART services and/or any accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) public meetings and events please email the ADA Office at [email protected] or call the office in 305-876-7747 five days in advance to initiate your request. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).