Art Basel Miami Beach's director, Bridget Finn, discussed how the annual fair comes together—and what to expect this year.

Just a year ago, Bridget Finn was named fair director. She spent the past year, she said, listening to gallerists about changes they’d like to see, and considering how to respond to Miami’s explosive growth in wealthy individuals. This year’s show goers will see the results.

Art Basel is more than just an art show, it's an economic powerhouse, generating an estimated $500 million in local impact.

Housed as always in the Miami Beach Convention Center, the event is also the last major art fair in a year full of them, including previous Art Basel editions in Hong Kong in March; Basel, Switzerland, in June; and Paris in October. Not to mention four far-flung Frieze fairs and a couple put on by the European Fine Art Foundation.

Art Basel returns to Miami Beach from December 4 to 8. This is the first year under the leadership of Bridget Finn, with 286 galleries from 38 countries exhibiting this year.

Miami will be flooded with people from around the globe to see galleries that showcase the works of some of the biggest names and newcomers in the arts. Throughout the week, Art Basel and Miami Art Week will host a plethora of events.

Including what to expect from Art Basel Miami Beach itself and coinciding museum exhibitions, pop-ups, and public art installations

Traveling to Miami for Art Basel for the first time? Here's a guide for first timers visiting the art fair and surrounding parties.