MIAMI.- Merrill Lynch arteaméricas, the art fair devoted exclusively to art from Latin America, will be returning to Miami for the fifth year in a row. This year, the fair has changed of venue – it’s moving to the Miami Beach Convention Center, and will be open to the public from March 16th until the 18th.

In less than five years, Merrill Lynch arteaméricas has become the premier fair of art from Latin America, with more and more galleries applying to participate each year. In 2007, the popular fair will have more to show than in previous years, while still maintaining the intimate feel of a boutique fair. Seventy of the best galleries representing 300 renowned masters and emerging artists will be showcasing their work in Miami Beach this year.

Following the success of its debut event in 2003, arteaméricas 2006 exceeded all expectations with outstanding exhibits, a diverse audience, and excellent sales. Art collectors were pleased to have a chance to view works from all over the continent in one place.

The art available at Merrill Lynch arteaméricas ranges from $2,000 to more than a half-million dollars, and the exhibition will include paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations and videos.

The 2006 edition of the fair introduced a series of conferences presented by Miami Dade College at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. These conferences took place in the weeks leading up to the opening of the fair, with art collectors and experts as guest speakers. The series will be repeated in 2007.

Also successfully introduced in 2006 was the “Young Professional Night”. In partnership with local art institutions and the community-at-large, arteaméricas hosted a new and exciting event on a Friday evening, which aimed to get young professionals together and encourage them to learn more about contemporary Latin American art. The entire day was referred to as “New & Young Collectors Day” and all works priced under $5,000 were specially marked in order to help young collectors distinguish fine, more affordable works from the more expensive ones. This event will also be repeated in 2007.

The 2007 edition of Merrill Lynch arteaméricas will have the return of many galleries from previous years. In 2006, it featured 50 galleries from 16 countries in the Americas and Europe.

Merrill Lynch arteaméricas is open to the public on the following schedule: Friday, March 16 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. “New & Young Collectors Day”, Saturday, March 17 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, March 18 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Miami Beach Convention Center – 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, FL.