In anticipation of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ being hosted in the United States with activations in Miami-Dade County, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs is presenting Arts at Play an arts and culture series blending creativity and sport across community spaces throughout the County. Supported by a $30K grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the program celebrates American creativity, local artistic traditions in connection with sports-related celebrations.
Arts at Play: Where Arts and Sport Meet on Miami-Dade County’s Global Stage is an arts and culture series taking place in June and July 2026, featuring a curated series of performances, museum exhibitions, and community-driven events.
Highlight of the Arts at Play initiative include Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits X World Ocean Day at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science on Saturday, June 6; the Richmond Heights Weekend Celebration: ArtsWalk + Kickball Showdown on June 20; Get in the Game: Sports, Art, Culture X Summer Sweat Series pairing dynamic group workouts with an exhibition featuring more than 100 international artworks at Pérez Art Museum Miami every Thursday in July; and Unidad: The World’s Game on View an immersive exhibition celebrating soccer’s global legacy through historic artifacts, interactive experiences, and multimedia storytelling at the Freedom Tower.
Together, these events offer accessible touchpoints for residents and visitors to engage with the arts while celebrating the spirit of soccer and the FIFA World Cup 2026™. The series features local, national, and international artists working across disciplines including visual art, dance, music, theater, multimedia, and socially engaged practice.
Arts at Play Series – Activities Line-Up
Extreme Sports: Beyond Human Limits Exhibition X World Ocean Day
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science - 1101 Biscayne Blvd., Downtown Miami, FL 33132
Hands-on marine science activities, planetarium programming and community partner stations explore how protected ocean spaces support marine life and coastal ecosystems. World Ocean Day 2026 Presented by Miami DDA, with programming aligned with the global theme “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet.” The celebration highlights research, conservation and innovation through interactive activities, science demonstrations, screenings and educational experiences throughout the museum.
Richmond Heights Weekend Celebration: Artswalk + Kickball Showdown
Saturday, June 20, 2026
JL (Joe) and Enid W. Demps Park - 11350 SW 216th St, Miami, FL 33170
Vice Chairman McGhee brings the community together through a dynamic blend of arts and athletics, hosting both ArtWalk Richmond Heights and the Community Kickball Tournament. These signature events unite residents of all ages in celebration of the creativity, energy, and spirit that define our community. ArtWalk Richmond Heights features live artists, interactive activations for all ages, and engaging performances that showcase local talent. The Community Kickball Tournament adds a spirited touch, with friendly competition between police, fire, public officials, and community members.
Miami Emerging Arts Leaders: Unidad: The World's Game Curated Tour at The Freedom Tower
Thursday, June 25, 2026 at 6PM - Space is limited; RSVP required by Wednesday, June 24.
Freedom Tower - 600 Biscayne Boulevard, Second Floor, Miami, FL 33132
What role can arts and cultural institutions play in celebrating the events that bring communities together? Join the Miami Emerging Arts Leaders for a curated tour of the Freedom Tower and its exhibition, Unidad: The World’s Game. Inspired by the upcoming FIFA World Cup, the exhibition explores themes of unity, identity, and the power of sport to connect communities across cultures and generations. Participants will experience the exhibition firsthand while learning about exhibition development, audience engagement, and the Freedom Tower's role as a cultural landmark. This experience will also serve as a networking opportunity with fellow arts and culture organizations and individuals, in collaboration with the Arts and Business Council.
Get in the Game: Sports, Art, Culture X Summer Sweat Series
July 2-30, Every Thursday in July
Pérez Art Museum Miami - 1103 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
Attendees have an opportunity to come together for an athletic group work-out session and step into the world of Get in the Game, an immersive exhibition featuring more than 100 works by artists from around the globe; including highlights from PAMM’s collection. In a city shaped by exchange and diversity, the exhibition underscores how games and competitions create common ground across traditions, identities, and rivalries.
Freedom Family Day at the Freedom Tower
Sunday, July 12 - Register for Tickets
Freedom Tower - 600 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
A free family day designed for all ages featuring music, a scavenger hunt, a drop-in art making station, and more. This free special event designed for all ages will feature music, a scavenger hunt, and a drop-in art making station. Activities will be focused on notions of resiliency and hope as well as the role of soccer in the U.S. Specialized tours of the Freedom Tower with an emphasis on Unidad: The World’s Game will be designed to highlight impact of the sport locally, nationally, and internationally. Activities will celebrate and honor the influence of American soccer players as well as the dynamic success of the Inter Miami football club. The history of the Freedom Tower and its role in Miami will be celebrated.
Arts at Play Program Partners
Artwalk Presents is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through creative experiences that inspire connection, artistic exposure, and healing. They design and deliver inclusive arts, education, and wellness programming that uplifts local artists, empowers youth, and supports individuals and families navigating life’s most vulnerable moments. https://www.artwalkpresents.com/
The Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College showcases best-in-class experiences which guide visitors through the Freedom Tower’s rich history—as home to both a newspaper and a refugee center. Guests can explore many quests for freedom that led generations to Miami and can share their own stories, celebrating the Tower as a 21st-century beacon of hope, courage, and opportunity. https://www.mdc.edu/freedomtower/
Located in Downtown Miami’s Maurice A. Ferré Park, the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is a leading-edge science museum dedicated to sharing the power of science, sparking wonder and investigation, and fueling innovation for the future. Sitting on four acres, the 250,000-square-foot museum is divided into four distinct buildings: the Frost Planetarium, Aquarium, and the North and West Wings. https://www.frostscience.org/
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), led by Sandra and Tony Tamer Director Franklin Sirmans, promotes artistic expression and the exchange of ideas, advancing public knowledge and appreciation of art, architecture, and design, and reflecting the diverse community of its pivotal geographic location at the crossroads of the Americas. https://www.pamm.org
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), established in Congress in 1965, is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States.
About Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs
The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council develop cultural excellence, access and participation in the arts throughout Miami-Dade County by strategically creating and promoting opportunities for artists and cultural organizations, and our residents and visitors. The Department receives funding through the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida through the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, and the Taft Foundation. For more information, visit www.miamidadearts.org