The Betsy Orb: “The Egg” Connecting Miami Beach’s Architectural Past and Present

 

Walk along Miami Beach's Ocean Drive and you expect to see Art Deco façades, palm trees, ocean views, and the unmistakable architecture that has made the area one of the world's most recognizable destinations. But tucked between two historic buildings is something entirely different: a futuristic, orb-shaped structure that seems almost suspended in midair.

Known as The Betsy Orb, and affectionately referred to by many as “The Egg,” the distinctive skybridge connects The Betsy's original Ocean Drive property with the former Carlton Hotel building on Collins Avenue. What makes the structure particularly fascinating is the contrast between the historic architecture surrounding it and its contemporary sculptural form. Rather than competing with the buildings, the Orb creates a visual conversation between Miami Beach's architectural past and its evolving cultural identity. The Betsy itself describes the Orb as an “orb-shaped skybridge” and highlights it alongside the property's Poetry Rail and other art and design elements. 

The Betsy's original building, located at 1440 Ocean Drive, opened in 1942 as the Betsy Ross Hotel. Designed by architect L. Murray Dixon, it is recognized as one of Miami Beach's notable examples of Colonial Revival architecture, incorporating classical details while adapting to the city's subtropical environment.

The adjacent Carlton Hotel represents another chapter in Miami Beach's architectural history, having been designed by architect Henry Hohauser. The eventual expansion of The Betsy brought these two architecturally distinct buildings together as one unified property. 

And then there is the Orb.

Instead of hiding the architectural differences between the two buildings, the expansion embraced them—introducing an entirely new contemporary element that visually and physically connects the two.

The Betsy Orb is more than a passageway between two buildings. The hotel presents it as a piece of public art, and its role within The Betsy's larger arts and culture program has become an important part of its identity. The hotel's arts programming includes exhibitions and installations within the Orb itself, demonstrating how the unusual architectural space can become a setting for contemporary creative work.

The Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (ICA Miami) Four Rooms: Selections from ICA Miami’s Permanent Collection

 

Ming Fay, 'Money Tree Floating Vine' 1990s/2025 

Four Rooms: Selections from ICA Miami’s Permanent Collection

Special Exhibition / 2nd Floor on view April 30 – October 4, 2026

 “Four Rooms” on view at The Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (ICA Miami) assembles a suite of four exhibitions comprising works from the museum’s permanent collection, each organized by one of the museum’s curators, with a focus on recent acquisitions. The resulting presentations, which take the form of vignettes, demonstrate both the diversity and the historical depth of ICA Miami’s collection. The exhibition continues the museum’s ongoing approach to generating dialogue between newly commissioned works and works from the last fifty years and expresses the global scope of ICA Miami’s collection. 

Spirit Matter, curated by Donna Honarpisheh, Associate Curator, Art + Research, brings together diverse experimentations with material that transform matter into portals of spiritual encounter across global contexts. In an exhibition dedicated to grisaille, Gean Moreno Director, ICA Miami’s Art + Research Center, presents works that are meditations on the body and its traces, where presence, memory, and identity emerge through black-and-white photography and subtle performative gestures. Associate Curator Amanda Morgan invites viewers to reflect on intimacy and one’s relationship to the spaces of everyday life. Her exhibition brings together works that feature emotionally laden domestic objects and built environments that imply presence without depicting the human form. Finally, Alex Gartenfeld, Artistic Director, highlights a concise presentation of the museum’s wide-ranging examples of minimalism, highlighting a recent major acquisition of work by Miriam Schapiro. 

Featured artists include Larry Bell, Talia Chetrit, Anne Collier, Rose Marie Cromwell,  Kim Farkas, Ming Fay, Dan Flavin, Samuel Fosso, Paul Gardère, Ron Gorchov, Hugh Hayden, Lonnie Holley, Peter Hujar, Hudinilson Jr., Nikita Kadan, Matt Keegan, Tau Lewis, Louise Nevelson, Damián Ortega, Dalton Paula, Thomas Ruff, Miriam Schapiro, Heji Shin, Tatiana Trouvé, Kaari Upson, Sara VanDerBeek, Celia Vásquez Yui, Ai Weiwei, and Luis Fernando Zapata.

The Contemporary Art Modern Project (CAMP Gallery) presents The Fabric of Me August 1 - 21, 2026

THE FABRIC OF ME
AUGUST 1 - AUGUST 21, 2026

The Contemporary Art Modern Project is elated to announce a special summer exhibition in collaboration with Aurora Molina and her students at Play Studio Artelier. At Play Studio Artelier, they believe every child is an artist with a unique voice. Under the guidance of artist and educator Aurora Molina, our students are invited to explore contemporary art through curiosity, experimentation, and the transformative language of fiber. On view August 1 - 21, 2026.

The portraits presented in this exhibition are more than representations of faces—they are expressions of identity, observation, and imagination. Through weaving, stitching, and textile-based techniques, each young artist discovered how thread can become a medium for storytelling, connection, and creative confidence.

We are honored to present these works at The CAMP Gallery, celebrating the creativity of our young artists and reaffirming our belief that when children are given the opportunity to create with intention, their voices become an essential part of our cultural conversation. At Play Studio Artelier, they see art not only as a means of making, but as a way of thinking, connecting, and shaping the future.

Recognizing Dudley Alexis - Catalyst Award Winner 2026

Dudley Alexis, Catalyst Award Winner 2026 About the artist Dudley Alexis, an independent filmmaker and visual artist. Dudley Alexis is both a cultural anthropologist and historian who sees his world through unique multicultural eyes. His mission as a Creative is to mine the wealth of hidden details that provide meaning to the lives of those often written off by the mainstream, finding in their stories, real treasure. His gift is in gaining the trust of others who then poignantly share their personal stories, often filled with tragedy and triumph. Alexis vividly portrays their drive to thrive and to live with dignity and equality in a world that would too often attempt to keep them marginalized. About DVCAI Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, Inc. is a virtual artist space dedicated to promoting, nurturing, and cultivating the vision and diverse creativity of emerging artists from the Caribbean and Latin American Diaspora through experimentation, exhibitions, artists-in-residence programs, international cultural exchanges, and dialogue in contemporary art. www.dvcai.org. DVCAI partners with organizations to enhance residency experiences in the Caribbean region, nationally, and internationally. For more information, please visit www.dvcai.org and follow our activities at https://www.instagram.com/dvcai

Experience the 2026 Boynton Beach Night Market July 24 & 25 from 5-11pm

 

The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (BBCRA) invites residents and visitors to experience one of the City’s largest and most anticipated events of the year, the Boynton Beach Night Market, returning Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. each evening at Centennial Park & Amphitheater, 120 E. Ocean Avenue in Downtown Boynton Beach.

This year’s Night Market will transport guests back to the vibrant decade of neon colors, big hair, and iconic music with an exciting 80s-themed celebration featuring live entertainment, nearly 100 exhibiting vendors, delicious food, interactive activities, and fun for all ages.

The Boynton Beach Night Market has become a signature summer tradition that transforms Downtown Boynton Beach into a lively outdoor marketplace celebrating the community and the local businesses that make Boynton Beach unique. The Night Market is all about showcasing and supporting local businesses located throughout the Boynton Beach CRA District and the City of Boynton Beach. Created by the BBCRA, the business promotional event provides local businesses, entrepreneurs, artisans, and makers with an opportunity to connect directly with thousands of residents and visitors while introducing attendees to the diverse shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences available throughout the community. Follow @BoyntonBeachCRA on Facebook and Instagram.

This year’s Night Market will feature:
More than 90 local businesses
Live entertainment throughout both evenings
An exciting 80s-themed atmosphere
Delicious food and drinks
Interactive activities and family-friendly entertainment

FREE Admission & Free event parking will be available throughout Downtown Boynton Beach.

Walkable Parking Locations
• Boynton Beach City Hall Parking Lots – SE Corner of Boynton Beach Boulevard & Seacrest Blvd.
• First Baptist Church of Boynton Beach – 301 N. Seacrest Boulevard
• First Church of Boynton Beach – 101 N. Seacrest Boulevard
• Parking lots located on the SW corner of Boynton Beach Blvd. and Federal Highway.
• Limited on-street parking along East Ocean Avenue

Park & Ride Locations
• Hester Center – 1901 N. Seacrest Boulevard
• Boynton Beach Senior Center – 1021 S. Federal Highway

2026 Call to Artists - The Riverwalk Connection

2026 Call to Artists

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The Riverwalk Connection

Submission dates: Monday, August 2 through Friday, October 2, 2026

Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale invites local artists to submit their original artwork depicting Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk and/or downtown and how the Riverwalk serves as a central connector in our community, geographically, socially, culturally or economically. Potential points of view include:

• “Riverwalk in Motion” (boats, people, festivals, wildlife)
• “Moments on the Riverwalk” (human experiences—events, quiet scenes, movement)
• “Riverwalk: Then, Now & Next” (past / present / future interpretations)

Artists are invited to submit two and three-dimensional original artwork of all mediums, including but not limited to watercolor, oil, sculpture, photography, charcoal, mixed media, drawing and gouache.

Following the submission deadline, artwork will be judged by a local juried panel, with the winning piece being featured on the cover of a future issue of Go Riverwalk Magazine.  Artists must be available to be photographed and interviewed for the story. 

Submission must include: Name, Address, Phone, Email, Title of piece and Description. Click here to download the submission form. For questions and to submit items email joyel@GoRiverwalk.com or call 954-468-1541 x 200. 

2025 Call To Artists information is available here.

Open Call: Apply for the Teen Art Council | NSU Art Museum today! Now through August 29, 2026

 

Apply to the Teen Art Council (TAC) at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale!

New applications are now open for consideration to all rising Freshman through Junior grade level students entering the 2026 – 2027 school year. If you are interested in community engagement and supporting the arts, we encourage you to apply. Previous applicants are encouraged to reapply!

The Teen Art Council (TAC) at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale embraces teens and empowers peers within the museum space by providing programming and support that enhance leadership skills, critical thinking, and developmental milestones for an emerging professional. By fostering a designated, incubated safe space for teens’ perspectives to convene, NSU Art Museum initiates lifelong relationships with the teen demographic.

This program allows teens to have the opportunity to collaborate with peers to plan events, investigate exhibitions, and discover the inner workings of the museum. Our mission is to create spaces and programs for teen representation and bridge the gap between teenagers and NSU Art Museum.