A Cultural Guide to Naples, FL: From Golf to Great Art

To begin with, van Bergen’s Philharmonic. Now holding 400 events between September and May every year, its humble beginning were from an amateur group on the nearby Marco Island. Since then it has gained a state-of-the-art concert hall which hosts events ranging from classical and chamber music performances to pop concerts and Broadway musicals, not to mention appearances by the Miami Ballet and the Sarasota Opera. And it’s not the only local organisation made good. The city can also boast of a nationally recognised community theatre, which often surpasses professional productions in the popularity polls and currently plays to an audience of over 65,000 patrons annually – The Naples Players. Still, the professionals are worth checking out – Florida’s only Professional Equity Regional Theatre Company, TheatreZone, can be found in Naples. And any theatre lovers are sure to find something unexpected on show – the company’s main aim is to perform ‘Lost treasures of Broadway’. This means shows that are rarely performed on big-city stages, but are definitely worth reviving. Of course, for anyone who does fancy the blockbusting shows Naples has that covered too in the form of its original Gulfshore playhouse, host to big shows, contemporary plays and world premieres to rival the best of theatre programmes in the country.

For those of a more historical bent, Naples offers a wide range of great museums that can entertain the whole family, including the Collier County museums system, which uses five unique facilities (some in Naples) to provide different social and archeological glimpse’s into the area’s past. The Museum of the Everglades (which examines local history over the last few centuries) is one of them, as is the Naples Depot Museum (exploring the impacts of the railroads and technology on the area through interactive exhibits) and The Immokalee Pioneer Museum. And that’s not even mentioning the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, which is perfect for children. Still, some cultural activities might be a bit much for the children, and parents should feel free to leave them behind to experience the sophisticated delights of the local opera scene. In Opera Naples the city also offers tourists the opportunity to delve into high culture before hitting the beach. Set up in 2005 to meet a lack of opera in southwest Florida, the company has since produced classic operas that have been a hit with the critics (as recorded on their website) and fans alike, with some shows selling out quickly. Recent shows have been held in the Artis Naples Philharmonic, which the local orchestra (and the Baker museum) also call home.

Speaking of the Baker museum (formerly known as the Naples Museum of Art), it seems unlikely that any culture vultures who head to Naples will want to miss out on this diverse collection of art, housed in a 30,000 square foot venue of 15 galleries. With a cycling collection of exhibitions there’s always something to see no matter how often visitors return, but permanent collections to whet the appetite include exhibitions of American modernism, 20th century Mexican art, sculpture and 3-dimensional art. And the Museum is something of an artwork itself; design features include the Museum’s entrance gates, designed by renowned metal artist Albert Paley, and a Persian Ceiling created by popular glass artist Dale Chihuly. The art doesn’t stop there; Naples has its own Art Association, housed at the Von Liebig Art Center in Cambier Park. The Naples Art Association (aka Artis Naples) aims to promote and advance education, interest and participation, with a view towards helping up-and-coming artists in the process. These efforts include outreach programmes and opportunities to exhibit, meaning there is an eclectic mix of old and juvenile art that makes a potent combination. Currently the association is celebrating its 6oth anniversary, with exhibitions related to this as well as the USA’s National Photography Exhibition set to enthrall audiences over the summer. For art a little off the beaten track, visitors could try some of the one-man operations to be found in Naples, such as the Phil Fisher Gallery, where the eponymous watercolour and oil specialist plies his trade. Another local, Emily James, offers similar fare at her Emily James Studio and Gallery. A slightly more unusual effort can be found in ‘The Lady from Haiti’ Caribbean art gallery and gift boutique, which offers authentic Haitian papier mache craft objects, steel drum art, Haitian Paintings and much more. The eclectic Calusa gallery, featuring limited edition giclées, serigraphs and etchings with Florida and European motifs is also well worth a visit, as are photography institutions like the Cunningham gallery and the Everglades Gallery.
By Huw Fullerton

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