Jorge Perez

Jorge M. Pérez is a collector, philanthropist, and the founder of El Espacio 23, a contemporary art space in Miami that presents exhibitions, residencies, and special projects drawn from the Pérez Collection. Housed in a repurposed 28,000-square-foot warehouse in the city’s Allapattah neighborhood, El Espacio 23 reflects Pérez’s commitment to supporting artists, fostering curatorial practice, and expanding public access to contemporary art.

As the Founding Executive Chairman of Related Group, Pérez has helped shape South Florida’s urban landscape for more than four decades. A lifelong advocate for the arts, he has championed the integration of museum-quality contemporary art into the built environment while building one of the country’s leading private collections. His philanthropic support includes a landmark gift that led to the naming of Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), where he has continued to contribute both funding and works from his collection.

Pérez and Related Group have partnered with world-class architects and designers like Arquitectónica, Robert Stern, Rem Koolhaas, Philippe Starck, David Rockwell Yabu Pushelberg to produce neighborhood-defining projects, establishing Related’s developments as integral components of Miami’s evolving cityscape. Pérez infuses each development with carefully curated collections, featuring pieces from master artists such as Frank Stella, Joan Mitchell, Willem de Kooning, Jim Dine and many others. 

Through the Related Philanthropic Foundation and The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, Pérez has contributed more than $300 million to initiatives supporting education, economic development, health and well-being, the environment, and arts and culture. A signatory of The Giving Pledge, he remains committed to using philanthropy to build more equitable, vibrant communities.

To lead the conversation, Pérez will be joined by José Carlos Diaz, a specialist in modern and contemporary art with extensive experience in exhibition making, programming, and public art projects. He is the Senior Director of Curatorial Affairs & Chief Curator at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. 

With support from the U‑M Museum of Art.

Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.