Here’s our round-up for November 2-9, 2023.
Take your pick of markets this week from textiles to vintage for a good cause, with percussive perfection at a dedicated festival and collectors and the curious flocking to Lucca Comics and Games.
Note! Many of Florence’s museums will have free entry on November 5 as part of the Domenica Metropolitana initiative.
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International documentaries get their moment at the 64th edition of the festival. 124 films cover everything from politics and music to the environment and societal concerns, with guests including Oscar winner Liv Ullmann, photographer and director Anton Corbijn, and singer Peter Doherty. Masterclasses and more make up this edition, with documentaries including I am a Noise, a frank portrait of Joan Baez, the American singer and activist, and Eastern Front, an urgent account of life on the frontline in Ukraine. Categories include the historical archive of the festival and Popoli for Kids and Teens, with a selection of films also viewable via MYmovies.it.
1 November 2023 - 5 November 2023
Enthusiasts, collectors and the curious flock to Lucca as over 700 exhibitors come together for the multidisciplinary festival. Fans of comics, board games, video games, cinema, TV and illustration, explore their interests through all kinds of activities, from film previews and exhibitions to cosplay and concerts.
A Creative Aperitivo organized by Creative People in Florence takes place at Ditta Artigianale from 6-9pm on November 8. It’s a space for creative people to find each other, talk about their work and build their community in Florence. All welcome.
Works by Claudio Parmiggiani and Abel Herrero come to the historic space as part of a project by Museo Novecento, curated by Sergio Risaliti. The two artists of distant origins are united by mutual poetics and sensitivities, with four boats gliding towards a distant, unattainable destination (or perhaps moving towards a new land) proving a highlight of the show.
Workshops, conferences, music and more welcome artists, therapists, researchers and the curious to the hills just outside Florence. Theatre, dance, poetry, installations and performances prompt thinking on intrapsychic, artistic and community life. Our interest is piqued by the silent walk at dawn at 6.30am “To embrace the day,” with Cecilia Gallia, a free event open to all. Workshops on creative processes, loneliness and explorations into Commedia dell’Arte and the comedy of life also feature in the varied line-up. From free to 327 euro
The second edition of the festival dedicated to all things percussive is back with a programme packed with workshops for all ages, concerts, food and more. It kicks off with an evening dedicated to Brazil on November 2 with the singer-songwriter Nilza Costa and Peixe Do Coco.
Works by mother and daughter Elizabeth Brewster Hildebrand (1878-1956) and Clotilde Peploe (1915-97) are compared and contrasted, with the familial bond extending to the screenings of great-granddaughter Lola Peploe’s film Grandmother’s Footsteps at Cinema La Compagnia on the occasion of Festival dei Popoli, premiering on November 4.
The textile arts fair returns with the world of fabrics unfurling in Florence. Local wools and yarns with a sustainable and traditional focus fill the piazza, with talks, workshops and demonstrations for all ages exploring eco-printing and natural dyeing, as well as weaving, hemp dyeing, looming and wool spinning.
Works by Yulia Nesis explore memory and the search for one’s roots, weaving her reflections through cylindrical “sheaves” made from linen, hemp, jute and metal, representing the perpetual movement of life, with other works consisting of handmade paper made of cellulose and metal. Free admission.
Candlelight dinners resume at the Hotel Savoy, in the spirit of “saving energy for romance”. Every Monday from 7.30pm, the Irene restaurant turns off their lights and sets candles aglow to support energy saving and envelop guests in a romantic and memorable atmosphere. For info and reservations: irenefirenze@roccofortehotels.com.
A charity market raises funds for Smile Project ODV, with the picturesque venue hosting clothes and accessories for the fundraiser that goes towards initiatives in Eritrea.
The third edition of the popular event organized by Artex features a masterclass with Leonardo Romanelli on wine and other tastings for the weekend dedicated to artisanal products and local delicacies. 30 exhibitors present their wares, with wine, spirits, jams, preserves, cheeses and delicious baked products on offer, as well as a talk on the Mediterranean diet, a mini-course on understanding wine, a jazz band and cooking show. Free admission, open Saturday (11am to 9pm) and Sunday (11am to 8pm).
The bi-annual market raises funds for seriously ill people and their families, with donations going towards Fondazione Italiana di Leniterapia. Held in the stunning palazzo, there’s a vast selection of quality vintage clothing and accessories for the eighth edition of the fashionable affair.
60 events across Florence spread kindness throughout the city, with free access to the varied events that cover the economy, the environment, science and health, education, business, well-being, spirituality, art and culture and more. On the occasion of the festival, Beverly Hills-based jeweller, designer and tastemaker Martin Katz collaborates with Andrea Roggi to unveil the Energy of Life sculpture in Palazzo Vecchio’s Salone dei Cinquecento.
Bronze sculptures by the Argentine artist use the technique of lost wax bronze casting to connect the contemporary artist to classical tradition. The subjects of the works are mainly horses and her beloved greyhounds, animals with which the artist has spent her whole life.
Tenuta Vignamaggio nestled in the Chianti hills host everything from Christmas card making to wreath workshops, with the chance to craft your own festive centrepiece and even cyanotype botanical workshops ...
Are you a small business or team looking for the perfect way to celebrate the festive season? At Hard Rock Cafe Florence, in the spirit of ‘All is One’ and ...
The Art of Style, created by Lady Kendra, is a space where art, fashion, wellness, and personal transformation come together. The gallery is designed as an immersive experience, from rotating ...
A 6km (2 hour) walk in the footsteps of the early 20th century Anglo-Florentines takes you to discover the Edwardian community of Florence when it was “more English than England”. ...