Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) will celebrate a true champion of Miami’s cultural life this fall. The museum hosts its annual International Women’s Committee (IWC) Luncheon on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM — and this year’s honoree is María C. Bechily, recognized for her longstanding dedication to the arts, philanthropy, and Miami’s cultural community.
Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Bechily arrived in the United States in 1961 through Operation Pedro Pan, the historic airlift that brought more than 14,000 Cuban children to the country. At just 12 years old she arrived in Miami first, spent two years in foster homes in the Chicago suburbs, and eventually reunited with her family — an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to community service and creating opportunities for others.
Since moving to Miami in 2014, Bechily has become a powerhouse of the local arts scene. She joined PAMM’s Board of Trustees and has chaired both the museum’s Development Committee and an ad hoc Endowment Committee. She also serves on the boards of ArtesMiami, Locust Projects, the Women Photographers International Archive, and the Dora Maar Cultural Center.
The luncheon brings together IWC members and patrons from the worlds of art, business, fashion, and philanthropy. The committee’s mission is to celebrate women in the visual arts and advance more balanced representation among artists, institutions, collectors, gallerists, and philanthropists — and its membership fees and donations support exhibitions by women artists at PAMM, including Yayoi Kusama, Teresita Fernández, Simone Leigh, Liliana Porter, and Calida Rawles.
“María has a remarkable ability to turn her passion for art and community into meaningful action,” said Darlene Boytell-Pérez, chair of PAMM’s International Women’s Committee. “We are thrilled to honor María this year and to celebrate not only her extraordinary contributions to Miami’s cultural life, but also the example she sets for the next generation of women supporting and shaping the arts.”
Event details: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 11:00 AM–2:30 PM at Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd, Miami. More info: https://www.pamm.org/en/events/event/international-womens-committee-luncheon-2/
Photo: Pérez Art Museum Miami
