Bas Fisher Invitational

KEEP MIAMI ARTIST-RUN

By Artists. For Artists. For Miami.

Miami is a city of constant reinvention. Neighborhoods transform, landmarks disappear, and new ones emerge. Artists are often the first to recognize the possibilities in these changes, turning overlooked places and unconventional ideas into something extraordinary.

But in a city changing this quickly, space for independent creativity cannot be taken for granted.

Since 2004, Bas Fisher Invitational (BFI) has been opening doors for Miami artists, commissioning new work, and bringing contemporary art into unexpected places throughout the city.

From video art illuminating the Miami Beach Bandshell to WEIRD MIAMI tours revealing hidden corners of the city, BFI creates experiences that might never happen without artists willing to take chances.

Our Story

Founded by artists Naomi Fisher and Hernan Bas in 2004, BFI has grown from an alternative exhibition space in the Design District into one of Florida's longest-running artist-run arts organizations, recognized by Miami New Times for its role in launching artistic careers. As Naomi Fisher asked, “When a door opens for us, how do we keep the door open for as many artists in our community to step through as possible?” For more than two decades, BFI has answered that question by creating opportunities for artists to experiment, collaborate, and bring ambitious ideas to life.

Art Beyond the Expected

• HEAT EXCHANGE: Connecting Miami and Norway through reciprocal artist residencies, international collaboration, and public programming, including a well attended, two-day convening at the YoungArts Campus in October 2026.
  
  

• VIDEO DRIVE-BY: Transforming the historic Miami Beach Bandshell into an outdoor canvas for monumental video art through a free public series presented with the Rhythm Foundation.
  
  

• WEIRD MIAMI: Revealing the city's overlooked histories and unexpected places through artist-led tours since 2010. The 2025 Weird Miami Anthology, published with EXILE Projects, preserves these perspectives as a cultural archive of a changing city.
  
  

• NOMADIC MIAMI: Bringing contemporary art beyond gallery walls through site-specific exhibitions, screenings, and installations in unconventional locations across Miami-Dade County.

Why Artist-Run Matters

As Florida's first W.A.G.E.-certified arts nonprofit, BFI is committed to fairly compensating artists and sustaining the creative opportunities, public programs, and international partnerships it has built over more than 20 years.

This Give Miami Day, help us raise $10,000 to pay artists, produce new work, sustain our programs, and KEEP MIAMI ARTIST-RUN.