Silvia Filippini-Fantoni

Silvia Filippini-Fantoni is the Director and CEO of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in museum technology, education, interpretation, audience research and evaluation, and community engagement.

Throughout her career, she has held roles in prominent museums across the United States, including the North Carolina Museum of Art, Newfields, and The Getty, as well as in Europe at institutions such as the Louvre and the British Museum. Silvia has also contributed her expertise to companies serving the museum industry, including Cogapp and Antenna Audio in the UK.

She holds advanced degrees in History, Aesthetics, and Art Sciences from the Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy) and the Université Paris I-Sorbonne (France), where she earned her Ph.D and served as a lecturer for several years.

Silvia Filippini-Fantoni will be speaking at MuseumNext Reykjavík :

Fearless Museums: Innovating Within Traditionalist Communities

In this closed panel discussion, museum directors from traditionalist regions and institutions will discuss the unique challenges of embracing fearless approaches to inclusivity and innovation while balancing certain expectations of boards, donors, staffs, and communities.

We’ll share real-world examples of handling pushback through careful dialogue, strategic communication, and adaptive programming that respects local values while advancing our missions to connect audiences to each other and to new ideas.

This session will provide a candid, collaborative space to exchange strategies, insights, and lessons learned in fostering impactful change.