PHOTOGRAPHY/#PositiveFlorence All day on September 13, with 9–10.30am registrationLeica Store Firenze, vicolo dell’Oro 12/r
Put your photo skills to the test at the #PositiveFlorence photography marathon, an exciting competition organized by Percezioni Fotografiche with Leica Store Firenze, Lungarno Collection and The Florentine. No room for negative imagery here: the theme is #PositiveFlorence, portrayed in a photo story set of three images. Registration will take place between 9 and 10.30am on the day of the event, and participants must submit their unedited entries between 4 and 5.30pm. Prizes include a two-day Leica Akademie workshop with an internationally renowned photographer; a week with a Leica M to develop a photo project for Leica’s social media channels; and a night for two at 5-star hotel Portrait Firenze. Read more and preregister here.
REMEMBER/9/11 Peace VigilSeptember 11, 6pmPiazza della Signoria, Florence
Pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the Al-Qaeda attacks and aftermath on September 11, 2001. New York University and the City of Florence have teamed up to organize a community commemoration. Crossing social, ethnic and religious lines, the vigil will feature readings and performances by residents and students, including religious texts from a variety of traditions, literature, original works and music. Along with paying tribute to victims, survivors and their families, the event is a public reaffirmation of the dignity of human life, and a particularly poignant one, given Florence’s historic commitment to humanism.
COLOR/Holi Dance FestivalSeptember 13, 12 pmAnfiteatro Le Cascine, Florence
Wear white and add a splash of color to your September! Inspired by the ancient Hindu festival of the same name, the Holi Dance Festival is a full day of explosive color bombs, electronic music and dancing. The traditional celebrations honor the triumph of good over evil. Last year over 2,800 people took part in this ‘rainbow rager,’ sending a smorgasbord of flashy colors into the sky. This year’s featured performers and DJs include Don Joe, Ema Stokholma, Federico Gardenghi and others to be announced. For more information and to purchase discounted advance tickets, visit the Holi Festival website.
DESIGN/Florence Creative Factory September 13, 10am–10pm Giardino dell’ARTEcultura, via Vittorio Emanuele II 4, Florence
A ‘self-made marketplace’ spotlighting young and emerging talents in design and craftsmanship, Florence Creative Factory is a day to promote DIY practices, sustainability and a new generation of creative entrepreneurs. Check out collections of jewelry, clothes, fashion accessories, home décor, illustrations and more. When you need a break from browsing, indulge in a 1pm brunch and rock out to the rhythms of COQO’DJETTE, who will spin a mix of ’50s and ’60s tunes, reggae standards, unusual Italian songs and more. For further information, see the Giardino dell’Artecultura website or the Facebook event ‘Florence Creative Factory.’
FUSION/Firenze Suona ContemporaneaUntil September 22 Bargello Museum courtyard, Museo Novecento
Firenze Suona Contemporanea blends the best of contemporary music with au courant visual arts. The international festival features artists from far-flung locations side by side with Italian contemporaries. A noteworthy change this year is the festival’s expansion to the Museo Novecento, a benchmark for the bold and modern in Florence, which will play host to Passi, a cutting-edge audio-visual installation from Alfredo Pirri and Alvin Curran. Other highlights will include two performances by the FLAME Ensemble and multimedia project An Experiment with Time, showing at Le Murate. For the full program, visit the festival website.
Mousikè + Firenze Rivista September 11–12, 19–26 OFF Bar, Fortezza da Basso Gardens
Firenze Rivista is an event series organized by a collective of Florentine free presses and literary journals, highlighting their missions, motivations and long-term visions. The initiative aims to spark conversation and brainstorming about how these publications can work together to strengthen local culture. The action kicks off this week with several talks (in Italian) and a related music festival organized by La Cite’: rock out to Parranda Groove Factory at 9.30 on September 10 and ride the ‘soul train’ when the Natural Revolution Orchestra performs at 9.30 on September 12. See the full program at www.firenzerivista.it.
OPENING/Be Creative! September 10, 7.30pm The Creative Collective, Via di Mezzo 6r
Local organization Creative People in Florence is all set to launch The Creative Collective, a fresh, funky new exhibition space and arts center in the heart of the Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood. The brainchild of jewelry designer and CPIF co-founder Sara Amrhein, The Creative Collective will showcase a selected artist’s work each month, in a designated area of Sara’s recently refurbished studio. Pop by for a prosecco, meet and greet and a chance to learn all about Florence’s hippest new contemporary art hub. For more information, visit the CPIF website.
