NAPLES, FL.- Artis—Naples has announced that The Baker Museum will remain open year-round for the first time in its 23-year history. While in recent years the museum had been closed from late July through Labor Day, the museum will now remain open during that time period, with the usual operating hours of Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from noon to 4pm. The museum’s adjacent cafe, Heidi’s Place, will also operate through the summer to accompany this change. Additionally, Artis—Naples has planned two evening programs in Daniels Pavilion to complement the museum’s expanded schedule. Other related events, including Art After Hours, a Prison Nation exhibition lecture, Make-and-Take family workshops and docent tours are also planned.

“With the size and breadth of our museum’s permanent collection ever–expanding, and as we see the population and diversity of the Southwest Florida community grow, we are delighted to announce that The Baker Museum is now a year-round museum,” said Kathleen van Bergen, CEO and president of Artis—Naples. “We also look forward to extending our multidisciplinary mission all summer long with additional performances and events that welcome all patrons to Artis—Naples. With a wide variety of exciting exhibitions and programming planned, we invite everyone to escape the heat and visit us this summer.”

Exhibitions currently on display in The Baker Museum include Naples Collects 2022-23 (on view through October 15), Three Degrees of Separation: Artistic Connections in the Permanent Collection (on view through July 30), Florida Contemporary 2022-23 (on view through June 11) and the 14th Annual Student Exhibition (on view through July 22). The exhibition Prison Nation opens on July 1, with a lecture by the exhibition’s curator Dr. Nicole R. Fleetwood planned for Thursday, August 31 at 2pm in The Baker Museum’s Signature Event Space. To learn more about the museum’s exhibitions, visit artisnaples.org/baker-museum/exhibitions. Additional Artis—Naples summer programming includes two evening programs in Daniels Pavilion: A Brother’s Revival – Allman Brothers Tribute on Friday, July 7, at 6pm and 8:30pm, and the Ben Allen Band on Friday, August 4 at 6pm. Tickets for each performance are $39 and include one free drink with the price of admission. The museum will stay open until 8:30pm and 6pm, respectively, on these dates with free same-day museum admission for performance ticketholders. Tickets for both performances are on sale now.

Other Artis—Naples summer programs include Art After Hours events on the last Wednesday of each month (May 31, June 28, July 26 and August 30), which offer live music performed by local musicians, food and beverages and free admission to all museum exhibitions. Free Make-and-Take family workshops (included with the price of museum admission) will provide opportunities for kids and adults alike to learn about the featured museum exhibitions and create their own artwork inspired by those exhibitions; these workshops are scheduled for July 5 and August 3 at 2pm in the John and Jeanne Rowe Performance and Learning Center on the museum’s first floor. Free guided exhibition tours (included with the price of museum admission) by trained docents are scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday at 11am and Sunday at 1pm, all summer long. Heidi’s Place in Norris Garden will be open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 2pm and Sunday from noon to 3pm through June 30. From July 1 through September 3, Heidi’s Place will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 11am to 2pm.

Home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples is unique among cultural institutions nationwide, equally dedicated to both the visual and performing arts featuring artists of global distinction.

NAPLES PHILHARMONIC

The Naples Philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the cornerstones of Southwest Florida’s arts community. As part of Artis—Naples, the Naples Philharmonic performs more than 140 orchestral and chamber music concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education, community and special event concerts annually between September and June in the 1,477-seat Hayes Hall, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion and around the Southwest Florida region. The Naples Philharmonic has enjoyed a history of working with world-class music directors, and recently announced the appointment of Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, who assumes the role of Artistic and Music Director Designate through the 2023-24 season. Renowned violinist James Ehnes continues as Artistic Partner through the 2023-24 season, working with Naples Philharmonic musicians in a variety of settings with a focus on inspiring and embodying a high level of artistry. Podium leadership includes Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, celebrating 14 years in this role in the 2023-24 season and bringing pops performances that celebrate music in its many forms. In 2017, conductor Radu Paponiu was named assistant conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and in 2019 he was promoted to associate conductor. Alvin Ho joined the artistic team as assistant conductor of the Naples Philharmonic at the start of the 2022-23 season.