With all the Art Basel attention placed on Wynwood and Miami Beach, some of Miami's heritage neighborhoods are starting to grow their own gallery scenes.
In the 30s and 40s, the Clyde Killens Pool Hall on Northwest Second Avenue in Overtown was the center for black art and entertainment in Miami. Now, it’s recently renovated and houses the Art Africa Miami Arts Fair.
“It affords black people and people of color an opportunity to create their own path," said Yvette Harris, who has worked with Art Africa since it's inception six years ago. "You know, not necessarily to sit around and wait for someone else to define us, accept us, but you know, to just be OK in our space and create. If they come, they come, and if they don’t, we’re good.”
Art Africa is a part of "Art of Black," a platform that shines a light on art in other Miami neighborhoods during Art Basel.
"It gives people an opportunity to see that there are other aspects to art that may not necessarily get covered by Art Basel," said Harris, "and for the heritage neighborhoods like Overtown, West Grove, Little Haiti and Little Havana, to be a part of the Basel experience."
