Exactly a year ago in May 2020, we published an article on “how Venice was doing” after going through the first three months of the pandemic. We wrote about the neighborhoods, where residents were planning a new start for their city, and that in some ways, it would have to be a complete relaunch:
Venice is one huge workshop in 2020 and is currently collecting ideas. We need to start with covering the present and near future: Supporting the residents and their small businesses in Venice and the Lagoon. Businesses that have thrived for decades, taking up ancient threads of art and design, for which Venice has been famous for more than 1600 years.
No fancy scenarios: A year later, with more hope ahead that “normal times” could finally draw nearer, Venice is waking up once again: More shops are open, more restaurants and cafes are working, and Piazza San Marco is a little bit more lively as well.
And now in May 2021, you can watch Venice waking up, following a Venetian team around the city for a whole week, 17 – 23 May 2021!
This project coming to life so powerfully is called Live in Venice Week and will take place 17-23 May 2021. It’s a series of 70 events created by Monica Cesarato and her team, in co-operation with Sofa Tours Germany.
Live in Venice Week shows you as much as is possible within a week, introducing people that most likely will be playing a huge role in the years to come, taking this historical city into the future: Artisans, art galleries, museums, fashion designers, but also restaurant owners rediscovering historical cuisine and traditional dishes from the Lagoon. So yes, this will be more than 70 interviews and events streamed live on Facebook, Vimeo and the Live in Venice website.
While you don’t have to sign up to watch an event (just go to the website), you can also attend via Facebook to make sure you don’t miss the event of your choice. We think this is an opportunity for you to catch up with news from Venice, after another year which seemed like another “black box”, and discover more about the transformation process which took place during the past 15 months. Promised – there’s a different vibe to the city, as you’ll discover!
“Live-In-Venice will be a jam-packed week-long extravaganza of live-streamed interviews and events from the iconic city of Venice. From 17-23 May 2021, local reporters will be meeting fashion designers, artisans, gallery owners, performers and local business owners. The whole week of interviews, meetings and events will be live-streamed on Facebook, Vimeo and the Live-In-Venice website from 11 am to 8 pm.” – Monica Cesarato
Following the event online, you’ll have the opportunity to discover little-known aspects of the crafts of Venice, like gondola-making, glass-blowing and mask design. You’ll also get to know businesses you probably never knew existed, like the designer behind Elton John’s eccentric glasses, one of the last bead stringers in Venice, or the bookshop that’s frequently underwater (well, you’ll probably know this one ..).
Each day will focus on one or two different themes: Fashion, Artisans, Art & Culture, Murano, Boats, Carnival, Performing Arts, Food & Drink and Kids.
What’s the purpose of this special week taking viewers virtually to Venice, the city just waking up from a series of lockdowns? Put in a nutshell, it’s about making a fresh new start and the right impression. This Venetian team wants you to see Venice with new eyes, a city that visitors all too often only “scrape the surface of”, as Monica says.
“It is a way to show that Venice isn’t just iconic monuments, but most importantly, people that remain the beating heart of the historic city. Their workshops and businesses are often hidden away on side streets, off the beaten path, but they are well worth taking the time to discover. “People need to stay more than two days to really appreciate the city”. Well, after watching this week packed with Venetian impressions, food, culture, books and more secrets, I think you’ll agree :-)
La Venessiana supports the Live in Venice Week as a beautiful way to show the city coming out of the lockdowns. In many ways, Venice is now in a position to start over again, and these Venetians are taking you to their city, presenting initiatives, interviews, small businesses and neighborhoods, and how they’ve been preparing for life – and of course, visitors, in the months and years ahead.
A peek into the program:
- Monday 17 May | ARTISANS
- Tuesday 18 May | ART & CULTURE
- Wednesday 19 May | MURANO
- Thursday 20 May | BOATS
- Friday 21 May | CARNIVAL
- Saturday 22 May | FASHION
- Sunday 23 May | PERFORMING ARTS
Every day at noon, a special event takes place I’m looking forward to in particular: It’s called Lunch with Authors, who present their work and books about Venice. So you’ll see a couple of favorite restaurants and visit them virtually for lunch – click here to see the detailed program. And if you love Venetian sweets and chocolate, here’s my special tip: Why not visit Cioccolateria Vizio Virtù virtually on Friday, May 21?
Of course, there are also Venetian tour guides taking you virtually to secret places, like this visit to Scuola dalmatina di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni. If you’re interested in Venetian art, like producing marbled paper, there’s also a visit to Arzanart for you to come along virtually.
Image credits in this post: Live in Venice Week, Monica Cesarato
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