Mid-June's Art Basel is the highest profile international art fair that draws not just art lovers, but a constellation of stars of the entertainment and global social scene. 

Institutions and private buyers lay down huge sums for upcoming or well-known artistic works (would you like to buy a Warhol?), ordinary art aficionados can invest in new artists they love, and dozens of gallery open-houses, indoor and outdoor multi-media installations, experimental and interactive public art, VIP events, and special-invitation parties hosted by international lifestyle brands put Art Basel on the global social calendar for the rich and connected as well as people who love the arts and a buzzy scene.

From its beginnings in the early 70's as one of the world's first, Art Basel has grown to become the biggest contemporary art fair in the world with its original location, plus two satellite editions, that together draw hundreds of thousands of art fans and make it a truly global happening.

(Photo Credit)

It's not just some of the best celebration of contemporary art in all its forms and all its new rising stars, Art Basel transforms its host city into one of the hottest places on the map.

Here's where and when you can be part of the world's biggest contemporary art experience:

Basel, Switzerland: Mid-June

The mother ship. 100,000 visitors fill this Swiss town for a week of original Art Basel. The main event is held in home-town 'star-chitects' Herzog & de Meuron's Messe Basel building which is itself a masterpiece of contemporary design. (Pictured, top. Photo credit.)

But other local cultural institutions and galleries amplify the experience so art spreads from Basel throughout the region for the week. These days, nearly 300 galleries, from dozens of countries, exhibit the works of over 4000 artists to art lovers, collectors and museum representatives from around the world.

Don't Miss: 'Parcours', a series of site-specific works, installations and performances in Basel's neighborhoods to allow visitors to interact with the city as well as art. Groups and school groups can get guided day or night tours.

Miami Beach, Florida: Early December

If you don't make it to Europe, put Miami on your calendar for a long weekend of art in the first week of December. You're sure to spot some of your favorite celebrities who come to buy art, support artists, and hit the party circuit. 

(Photo: BestTrip.TV)

Art Basel's Miami edition launched in 2002 and has quickly made the city one of the hottest destinations in the world in December. Miami is the hub of the Americas and the gateway to Latin America, so it's no surprise that leading galleries from Latin America lend a distinct Miami vibe to Art Basel in South Florida. But African art also has a strong place of pride, and gives Miami's Art Basel a flavor all its own and distinct from its European counterpart.

Don't Miss: 'Public', in Collins Park, a curated exhibit of out-sized sculptures and installations, video and live performance pieces by established and emerging artists.   

Hong Kong: Late March

The Asia edition of Art Basel in Hong Kong is the newest on the scene, since 2013. And it's quickly making up for lost time, drawing crowds similar to Art Basel and Miami Art Basel in only 3 days of exhibitions and events that keep growing in scale. 

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It's not just another venue for Asian buyers to connect with Western art. Half of its exhibiting galleries feature Asian and Asia-Pacific art and artists to round out a global Art Basel experience. 

Don't Miss: 'Magazines', a program to feature art publications from around the world, displayed in single-magazine stands or together in a collective booth. Many editors and publishers are on scene to contribute to lectures and discussions, showing the close relationship that still exists between print media and the art world.

Art Basel has paved the way for a busy annual calendar of vibrant contemporary art fairs around the world – and any Art Basel edition should be at the top of an art lovers' travel bucket list.


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