It’s Art Basel Miami Beach on Wednesday, when the world’s leading artists, galleries, and collectors head to the main art fair and the many satellite fairs scattered across the Miami region. It’s impressive how much contemporary art can be amassed in one place. Walking through the fairs, you can see art from across the nation and the world.

This prompts the question: Where are America’s leading art centers and scenes—the places where working artists actually work and produce art?

To identify them,…