Here’s our round-up for May 4-11, 2023.
Musical performances, caffeinated afternoons, and political conferences are in the line up this week keeping everyone on their toes for one reason or another. Enjoy the warming weather with a list of activities to keep you entertained and informed.
St. Mark’s English Church on via Maggio hosts events in celebration of the coronation of King Charles III. Bring your friends and battle it out at a UK trivia night on May 5. Join the Coronation Choir on May 6 and sing along in the celebration. Anyone 7 and over can learn the music during a rehearsal at 3pm to be prepared for the performance at 5pm. This performance will be in part of the Crowns and Gowns concert, which will feature performances by the children’s choir, adult choir, opera violin/piano duo and organ solo piano. Free entry for the celebration. Email music@stmarksitaly.com.
Starting with a special event on May 5, The British Institute hosts a Royal Tea Party. Leading up to the coronation of King Charles III the following day, tea will be served followed by a conversation between Simon Gammell and Bona Frescobaldi about the long history of the relationship between the British monarchy and the Frescobaldi family. The institute will also be live streaming the coronation on May 6 with free entrance.
The City of Young Readers festival is dedicated to literature for children, teens and adolescents. The three-day program promises book readings, writing workshops, live painting, meetings with illustrators and other activities. All of the events are free without reservation.
May 4-6
The State of the Union conference, now in its 13th edition, is a renowned annual summit for high-level reflection on the European Union. Titled Building Europe in Times of Uncertainty, the flagship event of the European University Institute will take place on May 4-6, unravelling into sessions that will offer diverse and exclusive content with the goal of influencing European Union decision-making.
Artist Hayley Eichenbaum presents her exhibition The Mother Road which is the fifth stage of the SuperNatural cycle curated by Irene Alison and Paolo Cagnacci. The SuperNatural cycle explores the transition from natural to artificial, ancestral and supernatural dimensions through the works of some of the most interesting photographers internationally. Eichenbaum’s work is a journey through the American dream with psychedelic elements using neon signs, gas station motifs, palm trees, and colorful sunsets.
The perfect opportunity to let loose, Manifattura Tabacchi hosts a club night with a DJ set by C.D.I. Bring your friends and dance the night away with good music and vibes. Ticket prices range from 10 euro to 18 euro and can be purchased in advance online and at the door.
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Dylan Henner makes his way to Florence for a performance of his atmospheric music. With a love for American minimalism, the Londoner creates surprisingly sunny and playful sounds that combine synthetism and computer engineering with real-world elements. Henner will play some hits from his newest album You Will Always Be for audiences to enjoy.
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Young Florntine painter Gianluca Braccini opens his solo show in dedication to the 30th anniversary of the Via dei Georgofili massacre curated by Arianna Canalicchio. Viewers will be able to learn more about the crime and the stories of the innocent victims through Braccini’s interpretive paintings of journalistic images from the event.
American artist Enrique Martínez Celaya takes up two homes in Florence with his second exhibition opening at Secci Gallery. This time showing works of a different medium but equally grand size, Celaya presents an exhibition of paintings with flowers as the main subject.
The first edition of this children’s art class will feature a Painted Italian Versal Letter on Canvas. In this workshop, kids will look at examples of designs from Florence’s creative past and take inspiration to paint a one-of-a-kind decorated Italian versal letter on canvas.
Join FAF for a course on papermaking at the FAF Contemporary Art Gallery. Participants will use natural coloring techniques on recycled paper to make a pulp that they will turn into handmade sheets. Learn a sustainable technique and create something beautiful.
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May 6
Curated by Gian Guido Grassi, this is an exhibition of site-specific installations spread throughout the city of Lucca. The alcoves of palazzos and churches along with other outdoor locations are the canvas for this urban art project that morphs culture, history and artistic tradition. The works of Moneyless, Sten&Lex, and Tellas will all be on display.
The season of outdoor markets has commenced and this is one not to miss. Visitors can gaze upon the works of 25 artisans specializing in jewelry, leather, silk, wicker basketry, cosmetics and more. Entrance is free for the market, but visitors can also join in on workshops for basketry, roping and crocheting on the Sunday. Reservations are required for the workshops and the cost to participate is 15 euro.
Luciano Sabadin hosts his first solo show in Florence curated by Francesca Sacchi Tommasi and Ilaria Maria d’Urbano. The show features 30 or so acrylic paintings depicting strong black and white contrasts. Sabadin initially began his creative journey through music and songwriting before switching over to painting after the pandemic.
Florence-based life coach and motivational speaker Amira Makhlouf is the driving force behind this conference that enables participants to be a part of an inspiring and international safe space. Topics discussed are relatable to everyone and will cover issues related to work, self-confidence, adolescence and women-focused themes. The cost to attend is 35 euro.
Buy your ticketsThis market only comes around once a month and is known for carrying an abundance of eclectic antique finds. Furniture, décor, jewelry and other miscellaneous trinkets are just a few of the treasures to be found. Find something unique to spruce up your space for the new season.
Coffee and mixology collide at this caffeinated event. Coffee on the Rocks hosts an event dedicated to coffee and all of its boozy forms. Participants will go through a day of talks, tastings, and tours covering everything from water filtration, frozen coffee, and coffee cocktails. The event is free and reservations are required.
In the latest of his Lungarno Chats at The British Institute of Florence, Morgan Fiumi will ask US Consul General in Florence, Ragini Gupta about her experiences and insights into this extraordinary city, as her assignment here draws towards its conclusion.
The Wartburg Choir, coming all the way from Iowa, USA visits Florence for a choral concert. Under the direction of Lee Nelson, they will perform pieces by Bach, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Jennings and others. Entrance is free and reservations are not required, however strongly encouraged. To reserve a seat, email to performancesbooking@gmail.com.
The famous “Tre Corone Fiorentine” (The Florentine Crowns) Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio are legends of pre-Renaissance Florentine literary excellence. There is a lesser known fourth however: Zanobi da Strada. This lecture looks at the 14th century and how friendship, patronage, and professional envy determined the fame, and obscurity, of this group. The registration fee is 10 euro per person.
Book your spotRoger Low, who was the former principal cello in the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra under the direction of Zubin Mehta joins the British Institute with pianist Scott Faigen for a delightful musical performance.
Join Irene Bar every Thursday throughout the month of May for cocktail nights with live music. Head barman Federico Galli reinterprets the art of Florence through his specialty drinks that are inspired by renowned artists who have left their marks on the city. Some of the artists these creative cocktails are inspired by include Olafur Eliasson, Antonio Signorini, Igor Mitoraj, and Tony Cragg. The cost is 18 euro and includes a cocktail and cicchetti.
Cuba-Born artist Enrique Martínez Celaya opens his sculpture exhibition Watching and Waiting at the Museo Marino Marini. Celaya originally comes from a scientific background and has experimented with several other art mediums such as photography, videography, and writing. He resides in Los Angeles and this is his first show in Italy. He will feature his sculptural works from 2005-2023.
Manifattura Tabacchi expands their horizons with new spaces dedicated to restaurants, cafes, stores, offices, artisanal workshops, and even a roof top garden. What was once an old tobacco factory is already one of the most innovative spaces in the city, working as an event space, art residency, and university campus for several years now. This new expansion morphs the multifunctional space into a true creative factory and a hub for creative culture.
Kicking off the artistic side of things, Manifattura Tabacchi hosts the works of Katja Novitskova, an internationally renowned Estonian artist. This exhibition is in part with the Reaching for the Stars exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi and is on display until June 18. Among other artistic efforts is the new B11 workshop, which has been transformed to house initiatives such as the Toast Project Space for contemporary artists.
National Geographic returns to Pisa’s foremost exhibition space for a major photographic show that revolves around the exploration of Planet Earth. Starting with a set of images that National Geographic’s photographers captured to document the beauty of our ecosystems, the show zooms in on what we know (and don’t know) about the planet where we live, as well as the human impact on the environment over the millennia.
Exhibition info
More than 50 works connected to the Gallery of Mirrors and Biblioteca Riccardiana will make up this major exhibition at Palazzo Medici Riccardi on Baroque master Luca Giordano (1634-1705). Expect a series of sketches on loan from the National Gallery in London as well as other important artworks from private collections in Europe and the United States, the Uffizi and the Opera del Duomo Museum in Siena, among others.
Exhibition info