ARTIS—NAPLES APPOINTS MANUEL LÓPEZ-GÓMEZ AS NAPLES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR

Naples, Fla. (September 10, 2024) — Artis—Naples announced today the appointment of Manuel 
López-Gómez as the new associate conductor of the Naples Philharmonic. López-Gómez, an 
internationally acclaimed Venezuelan conductor, will assume all duties and responsibilities of the 
associate conductor beginning with the 2024-25 season. As associate conductor, Lopez-Gomez will 
lead the Naples Philharmonic in select programs throughout the season and assume the role of 
director for the Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

“Manuel López-Gómez brings with him a wealth of experience and a profound ability to inspire 
musicians,” said Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley. “His dynamic leadership and passion 
for music will undoubtedly elevate performances by the Naples Philharmonic and the Naples 
Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Artis—Naples as associate 
conductor. I look forward to working with him in the coming season.”

“We are delighted to welcome Manuel to Artis—Naples. His remarkable talent and dedication to both 
performance and education seamlessly align with our multidisciplinary mission,” said CEO and 
President Kathleen van Bergen. “Manuel’s experience and passion for inspiring the next generation 
of musicians make him an exceptional addition to our artistic leadership team, and we are eager to 
see the new heights our organization will reach with his contributions.”

López-Gómez shared his enthusiasm for joining the organization, stating: “I am absolutely thrilled 
and honored to join the Naples Philharmonic as associate conductor. This orchestra is renowned for 
its artistry and commitment to musical excellence, and I am incredibly excited to learn from and 
collaborate with these extraordinary musicians. I look forward to immersing myself in the vibrant 
cultural scene of Naples and sharing my passion for music with this wonderful community.”

López-Gómez has earned widespread recognition for his powerful and inspiring conducting, having led 
such world-renowned orchestras as the National Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, 
Simón Bolívar Symphony and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, among many others. In addition to his 
performance career, López-Gómez is deeply committed to nurturing young musicians, a passion that 
stems from his early days in Venezuela’s renowned El Sistema program. He has dedicated himself to 
education as the former music director of the Bogotá Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and continues 
this mission with his work at the Medellín Philharmonic.
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ARTIS—NAPLES
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.

KIMBERLY K. QUERREY and LOUIS A. SIMPSON CULTURAL CAMPUS
Led by CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen and Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, 
Artis—Naples offers more than 800 paid and free events annually across its 8.5-acre Kimberly K. 
Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Artis—Naples welcomes hundreds of thousands of 
visitors each year for a broad array of artistic and educational opportunities perfect for 
audiences of all backgrounds and interests. The cultural campus is home to five buildings, 
including two performance halls (Frances Pew Hayes Hall and Myra J. Daniels Pavilion), The Baker 
Museum, the Toni Stabile Education Building and the Kohan Administration Building.

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 Southwest Florida. The Naples Philharmonic has enjoyed a history of working 
with world-class music directors. Following a successful designate year in 2023-24, Alexander 
Shelley begins his new role as artistic and music director in the 2024-25 season. Renowned 
violinist James Ehnes continues as artistic partner through the 2024-25 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 also includes Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly, 
celebrating 15 years in this role in the 2024-25 season and bringing pops performances that 
celebrate music across genres.

THE BAKER MUSEUM
The Baker Museum is the foremost fine art museum in Southwest Florida, presenting an ambitious 
slate of exhibitions annually to complement installations of works from its permanent collection. 
Comprising more than 3,000 objects, the museum’s broad holdings of 20th- and 21st-century art 
reflect particular strengths in modern art of the United States and Mexico. The Baker Museum's 
collections reflect the generosity and commitment of area collectors, including significant gifts 
from the collection of the late Olga Hirshhorn.
With more than two decades of collecting and exhibiting, the museum is committed to the stewardship 
and scholarship of its collections and to fostering inspiring and transformative experiences with 
the visual arts. At the same time, The Baker Museum partners with the world’s leading arts 
institutions to make extraordinary exhibitions accessible to the Southwest Florida 
community—including recently the National Portrait Gallery, London and the Helen Frankenthaler 
Foundation. In 2020, Artis—Naples celebrated the renovation and expansion of The Baker Museum and 
adjoining Norris Garden, designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, which created 
new spaces for multidisciplinary exploration and social interaction.

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
In addition to creating and presenting visual and performing arts, Artis—Naples provides
robust education and community activities for students of all ages in Collier and Lee counties. 
Each season, thousands of Collier County Public School students interact with Artis—Naples 
education programming, both on our cultural campus and in their classrooms. Beyond our commitment 
to youth education, the Lifelong Learning program provides informative lectures and study 
opportunities for adults seeking to engage more deeply with the arts.

The Friends of Artis—Naples, comprised of more than 3,500 donor households, offers activities, 
travel experiences and events designed to foster a deeper relationship between patrons and the 
arts.

In 2017, Artis—Naples acquired the Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), expanding its film 
offerings and providing a platform for the festival’s continued excellence and growth. In
2023, the festival’s 15th anniversary year, NIFF was named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “20 Great
Film Festivals in Vacation Destinations.”