The Bass Museum of Art Announces New Curator, Exhibitions, and Winter–Spring 2026 Programs in Miami Beach

The Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach has outlined a full season of exhibitions and public programs for early 2026, including a sold-out annual benefit with an official after party, a new associate curator appointment, workshops for adults, family and early childhood programs, spring art camps, a teen art exhibition, and ongoing access to gallery-inspired studio activities.

Season Highlights

The museum’s upcoming schedule features The Bass Ball official after party, a new immersive art and writing workshop for adults, the appointment of Associate Curator Jasa McKenzie, several major contemporary art exhibitions, early learning and family programs, weeklong spring art camps, a teen art exhibition focused on the theme of time, and renovated studio space for drop-in art-making.

The Bass Ball After Party

The Bass Museum of Art’s annual black-tie benefit, The Bass Ball, has sold out, and the museum will extend the evening with “Keep The Ball Rolling | Kaleidoscopic,” the event’s official after party on Thursday, January 29, from 9 to 11 p.m.

After party guests will be able to enjoy desserts, an open bar, dancing, and music by DJ Claudio Figueroa. For a limited time, after party tickets are offered at a discounted rate of $150 through Friday, January 16, with tickets available online.

Street parking will be available, with additional garage parking at 340 23rd Street.

Immersive Art And Writing Workshop

On Saturday, January 31, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., The Bass will host “In Dialogue: An Immersive Art + Writing Experience with Neysa King,” part of its Workshops @ The Bass series for adults ages 21 and over.

The session begins with a guided introduction to the exhibition Lawrence Lek: NOX Pavilion, followed by time for participants to explore the installation independently and note what resonates or sparks curiosity before gathering to write initial impressions and personal responses.

Curated readings connected to the themes of the exhibition will be shared aloud with time for reflection, after which participants will move into free writing inspired by the artwork, literature, and their own experiences. All materials are provided, and the class fee is $15 for museum members and $20 for nonmembers, with advance registration available online.

New Associate Curator

The Bass Museum of Art has appointed Jasa McKenzie as Associate Curator. McKenzie is a queer curator whose practice is shaped by questions of identity, human connection, and expansive forms of imagination.

Before joining The Bass, McKenzie led creative programming for The Great Northern, a multidisciplinary Minneapolis festival focused on climate change solutions. She holds a master’s degree in Curatorial Practice from the School of Visual Arts in New York and a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from Augsburg College in Minneapolis.

McKenzie has contributed to the curatorial teams of the Hawaiʻi Triennial (Honolulu, 2025), documenta fifteen (Kassel, 2022), Desert X (Coachella Valley, 2019 and 2021), and Berlin Biennale 10 (2018). In 2023 she served as Curator-in-Residence with the Curatorial Program for Research’s “(RE)PRESENTATION IN THE NORDICS.” Additional information about her appointment is available on the museum site.

Faire Foyer Exhibition

The exhibition Faire Foyer: Sarah Crowner in Dialogue with Etel Adnan is now on view at The Bass through July 26, 2026.

The presentation brings together new work by artist Sarah Crowner and a monumental ceramic mural by Etel Adnan, the only example of its kind in the United States. Crowner has created a semicircular carpeted alcove, or “faire foyer,” conceived as a welcoming transitional space that connects exterior and interior while framing Adnan’s mural.

Crowner, an American artist working with geometric abstraction, engages painting, sculpture, set design, and ceramics in her practice. The exhibition is organized by James Voorhies, Curator at Large for The Bass, and is supported by the Arison Arts Foundation and PHILLIPS.

Jack Pierson In Miami

The Bass is presenting Jack Pierson: The Miami Years, on view through August 16, 2026. This is the first exhibition dedicated to examining the city of Miami’s transformative role in Pierson’s life and work.

Highlighting South Beach’s landscape and queer nightlife, the exhibition traces how the area’s atmosphere, along with the availability of modest apartments and thrift-store finds, contributed to themes of wanderlust and escapism in Pierson’s practice. The show is curated by James Voorhies, Curator at Large, and supported by Lisson Gallery, Regen Projects, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade Department of Cultural Affairs, The Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s New Media Initiative.

Additional Current Exhibitions

In addition to these presentations, The Bass is featuring several other contemporary exhibitions, including The Kaleidoscopic: Writing Histories Through the Collection, Michelangelo Pistoletto: Mirror of Eternity, and assume vivid astro focus XI. A full overview of current exhibitions is available here.

Bass Babies Program

From January 22 through April 30, The Bass will offer Bass Babies, a weekly art program for children ages 2 to 4 and their caregivers, held from 11 a.m. to noon.

The program focuses on sensory discovery, creativity, and pre-literacy skills through hands-on art activities. Each week, children explore colors, shapes, patterns, numbers, and letters while practicing free expression, problem solving, and decision-making. Sessions are led by teaching artist Paloma Dueñas and incorporate art and music to introduce basic concepts of art and artists.

Registration fees are $20 per class for museum members at the Family/Dual level and above, and $25 per class for nonmembers. Bundles of four classes are available at a 10 percent discount by phone or in person. Additional details are available on the program page.

Family Day And STEAM+

The Bass will host a Family Day & STEAM+ Celebration on Sunday, January 25, from 2 to 4 p.m., highlighting the museum’s STEAM+ Student Exhibition.

Participants will investigate light, reflection, and symmetry inspired by the exhibition The Kaleidoscopic and artist Karen Rifas’s spirals of travel mirrors. In the museum’s Creativity Center, visitors will test reflective surfaces, map light paths, and design optical artworks that shift with movement, connecting science, math, engineering, and art. The event can be added to personal calendars via the museum’s online listing.

Spring Art Camps

The Bass Creativity Center will host Spring Art Camps from March 23 to 27 for children ages 4 to 12, running from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with aftercare available until 5:45 p.m.

Campers will create one-of-a-kind projects designed by teaching artists and engage in hands-on activities in sculpture, painting, design, and related media. Each day offers a different focus meant to encourage exploration, self-expression, and confidence-building through art. Information on packages, pricing, and registration is available on the camp page.

Teen Art Exhibition

The Bass Teen Board is organizing its annual Teen Art Exhibition, inviting teen artists from the greater Miami region to present their work at The Bass, Miami Beach’s contemporary art museum.

The 2026 exhibition theme is “Time,” encouraging submissions that interpret time as personal memory, physical process, shared experience, or abstract concept. Organizers aim to showcase how young artists capture moments, transitions, and the changing nature of time in South Florida and beyond.

The submission deadline is Sunday, February 8, 2026. The exhibition will open on Thursday, March 19, 2026, with a celebration scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026. Teen artists can submit their work through the museum.

Studio Drop-In Sessions

The Bass Creativity Center now features a renovated Studio space open for drop-in art-making on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Visitors are invited to pause during their museum visit to explore self-guided art activities, design challenges, books, and related resources in The Studio. Full details about these ongoing sessions are available on the event page.

Planning A Visit

Information about all exhibitions, programs, and visiting The Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach is available on the museum’s official website.

By ML. Photo(s)/The Bass Museum of Art