Free Florence Events for Women’s Day on March 8

 

“Together We are Better” – a photo in the Caradonna women’s empowerment show

Friday, March 8: FESTA DELLA DONNA (International Women’s Day)

International Women’s Day is a day honoring political, economic, and social achievements of women worldwide. Women in Italy celebrate the occasione by sharing meals and spending time together. Since WWII it has become synonymous to give mimosa blossoms to women as a symbol to show togetherness. Florence will be hosting events the week of International Women’s Day and on March 8, including art exhibitions, readings, free museum entrance, and free concerts.

Florence will start the celebrations on Tuesday, March 5 by commemorating the 70th anniversary of the First National Conference of Working Women in 1954. This event was a turning point for union feminism in Italy; because of this conference the Charter of Rights for Working Women was created, advocating for wage equality, access to all professions, and maternity benefits.  A display of the document plus works by artists Ilaria Romeo, Martina Lopa, and Stefano Bartolini will be inaugurated at Semiottagono in Le Murate at 6:30 pm, and will remain open until April 29. There is also a selection of photos from the trade union and private archives curated by Gea Casolaro. The exhibition additionally comprises three photomontages that illustrate historical events and present a framework aimed at building a collective memory of female protagonists past and present. The last event of the evening will start at 9 pm with a concert featuring Giulia Mutti at the Caffè Letterario Le Murate. 

Friday, March 8 is the day filled with activities and events to celebrate women. The first initiative will be hosted by the town of Bagno a Ripoli and AILO (the American-International League of Florence), highlighting Viva Vittoria, a volunteer-based project whose main goal is helping women who have experienced domestic violence.  The day starts at 11:30 am at GovettiVolta high school in Bagno a Ripoli. The mayor will be donating a red bench in memory of women who were victims of violence. Handmade knitted and crocheted blankets will cover the square from 4 – 8 pm in front of Sala Ruah (or in the theater in case of rain), as the final event of AILO’s Viva Vittoria campaign, with the proceeds donated to selected organizations: Artemisia Anti-Violence Center, ACISJF Florence, and Nosotras Onlus.  The venue can be reached by bus 23. and program will conclude with an aperitivo.

All day on Friday, women can also visit Florence’s state and city run museums for free; see list at the end. 

Residents of both sexes from the greater Florence metropolitan area will be able to access part of the Cathedral complex–the Baptistery of San Giovanni (8:15 – 10:15 am, 11:15 am, – 6:30 pm), Santa Reparta (10:15 am – 4:45 pm), and the museum of the Opera del Duomo (8:30 am – 7 pm)– free of charge with the Giglio pass. Giglio passes can be picked up by presenting a photo ID at the cash desk of the Opera of Santa Maria del Fiore in Piazza Duomo 14 and Piazza San Giovanni 7. Later, at 4 pm, a free concert will be held in Piazza del Duomo in front of Palazzo Strozzi Sacrati.  After a greeting from Tuscan president Eugenio Giani and a speech by Cristina Manetti, the “change of tune” concert, conducted by Carlo “Carletto” Nicoletti, will showcase the talent of Irene Grandi, Paolo Vallesi, Bandabardò, Simona Bencini (Dirotta su Cuba), Giulia Mazzoni, and Giuseppe Scarpato,   All artists are from the region of Tuscany and will be on hand to show their support of women’s rights. There will also be readings by Tosca d’Aquino and Serra Yilmaz. The link to register is 8marzo.eventbrite.it.

An online exhibition will be launched on Women’s Day through Uffizi Gallery. The website is aimed at highlighting female presence in the Uffizi collections. There will be stories of women and power between East and West in the Uffizi’s young series, review focused on the faces of some illustrious women in the history selected from the Gallery’s portrait collection. The portraits will include Queen Roxelana, the Ottoman Princess Mihrimah Sultain also known as Cámeria, the Spanish ambassador and later the Queen of England Catherine of Aragon, poet Vittoria Colonna, and the Queen of France Catherine de’ Medici. The link to access is: www.uffizi.it/mostre-virtuali/storie-di-donne-nella-gioviana 

Another show documenting women and art is scheduled from March 15 to 23. The end result of Caradonna, an all-female creative campaign, is a display of over 130 photos. During February women were invited to share their message with other women and the world through a picture portrait.  The photos show words with messages of hope, self-love, courage, and strength, written on women’s body in eyeliner (pictured above). The goal of the project is to encourage and support listening to women’s voices. The opening will be on March 15 from 6 to 9 pm at the OnArt Gallery on Via della Pergola 57/61R with free admission.

Museums free of charge for women on International Women’s Day:

  • Galleria dell’Accademia:  8:15 am – 1:50 pm
  • Uffizi Gallery: 1:30 pm – 6:30 pm.
  • Museums in the Pitti Palace complex: Palatine Gallery, Modern Art Gallery, Fashion & Costume Gallery: 8:15 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
  • Boboli Gardens: 8:15 am – 5:30 pm
  • Bargello National Museum: 8:15 am – 1:50 pm
  • Medici Chapels: 8:15 am – 6:50 pm
  • Palazzo Davanzati: 1:15 pm – 6:50 pm
  • Palazzo Vecchio: 9 am. – 7 pm
  • Arnolfo Tower: 9 am – 2 pm
  • Santa Maria Novella: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
  • Museo Novecento of 20th and 21st Century Art: 11 am – 8 pm
  • Orsanmichele Complex: 8:30 am – 6:30 pm

March has become a month of historical significance for women all over the world. On March 8, 1857, in New York City women textile workers started one of the first organized strikes due to unfair working conditions and unequal rights for women. Then, on March 25, 1911, in New York City a fire occurred at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory killing over 140 young immigrant women workers because they were unable to escape from the ninth floor due to inadequate fire safety precautions. The fire sparked the conversation about unsafe working conditions for women and social protests started to breakout. Beginning in 1910, March 8 became annually observed as International Women’s Day. 

Gift a woman in your life a bouquet of mimosa on this day.  (Sophia Koch)