“Artis—Naples has announced a $50 million New Year’s fitness resolution, and has a breathtaking pair of running shoes to start it: a seed gift of $15 million,” writes Harriet Howard Heithaus in Saturday’s (1/9) Naples Daily News (Florida). Artis—Naples is the parent organization of the Naples Philharmonic and the Baker Museum. “Artis—Naples board member Kimberly K. Querrey and her husband, Louis A. Simpson, made the $15 million donation, labeled by the group as the largest gift in the organization’s history. CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen, along with board chairman Ned Lautenbach, made the announcement at a private event for major supporters Friday. At the same time, they announced plans for a $50 million campaign with four goals: To increase the institution’s endowment from its current $60 million to $100 million…. To create ‘artistic and community initiatives’ under Andrey Boreyko, its music director…. To rethink the Artis—Naples venue for the future. ‘We have 8½ beautiful acres, five buildings, multiple performance spaces and gathering places,’ van Bergen said. ‘We would like to launch a master plan that will imagine what this space and 8½ acres can be for generations to come.’ ”
Posted January 12, 2016
