After showing off an array of incredible places in this showcase, Italian photographer Matteo Romellini talks about his creative scene in Brescia, Italy…

Rua Confettora, 17, Brescia
A shop, a gallery, a laboratory for ideas, owned and managed by Daniela Bettoni. Located in the backalley of the same name in the old artisan district, the building used to house a restoration shop some years ago. Exploring the place you can encounter the cast iron machinery and carpenter tools originally used by the artisans, harmoniously mixed with modern design objects.

Photo courtesy of Damiano Nava

The rooms are placed, each is subsequential to the next one, all the way to the backyard which features columns and arches from the XIV century. Rua Confettora focuses on young Italian designers, among which Alice Visin, Massimiliano Adami, Francesca Pasquali, Antonio Cos, Cristina Celestino, Ugo La Pietra, Studiocharlie, promote their works by organising personal showcases.

Officina9, via Padova, 9, Brescia
Officina9 is an experimental studio with an annexed art gallery, born in March 2013, located in a vintage car garage. It deals with architectural topics with a cross-cutting point of view due to the multidisciplinary education of its members. The team is composed of 5 members: Nicolò Galeazzi, Stefano Di Corato, Patrick Dolci, Francesco Ferliga and Michele Papa. Officina9 partecipated in the Studio Azzurro’s installation “Paesaggi Abitati” in the Italian pavilion, part of the 14th International Architecture Exhibition also known as “Venice Biennial”. They also organised an installation named “Ascolta il Vuoto” at the Castelvecchio Museum to celebrate the 50 year old restoration carried out by Carlo Scarpa.

Photo courtesy of Officina Nove

Tarantola, via Fratelli Porcellaga, 4, Brescia
The history of the Tarantola Library begins with Alfredo Tarantola, considered one of the ancestors who moved from Tuscany, spreading knowledge around Italy by selling books and volumes. After permanently estabilishing himself in Brescia in 1922, he began to work in his uncle’s library and small but dynamic typography until he decided to found his own library with his wife Luigia. At a later moment Alfredo’s daughter Silvana had the task to carry on the management of the renewed library in Corso Zanardelli, in the hearth of the city center.

Now everything is in Marco’s hands and recently Tarantola moved to a new location, in Via Fratelli Porcellaga, near Vittoria square, where they keep organising inter-cultural events.
It’s even possible to read and have breakfast in this Library’s unique atmosphere.

Officina Creativa Chiari, Chiari, Brescia
(They are opening their official headquarters in the next weeks so check their website for updates)
This is a project born around the idea of promoting the development and diffusion of cultural, artistical and creative pratices, focusing on street-art and self productions of young emergent artists. Members, Luca Consoli, Daniela Lupatini, Andrea Lupatini and Leonardo Cirimbelli, recently helped renovate the A.M.A Festival based in Chiari and organized “Penumbra”, an independent photographers exhibition within the Quadra Villatico during the Festa delle Quadre in Chiari.

Photo courtesy of Officina Creativa Chiari

Carmen Town, via Fratelli Bandiera, 3, Brescia
A bar, a restaurant and nightclub. Carmen Town was created around culinary and cultural variety, presenting a refined choice of wines and beers among live music events, parties and DJ sets. It’s located in the Carmine disctrict part of the city center of Brescia, once forgotten by the local administrations and now reborn as a modern centre both at day and night, thanks to the University of Brescia, Cinema Eden, and more cultural activities. It’s not a common pub, lots of artists are being invited to express their talent through music, acting or any kind of figurative art they desire. They organised hundreds of live rock and jazz music events (collaborating with Gallo Rojo, L’Altrosuono and Jazz in Eden), DJ sets (often with Corrado Bucci), jam sessions (usually on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday), theatrical performances, art expositions, books debuts, public debates, handicraft street markets and more. The programme of this year offers movie nights and “one man shows”. Starting from October, in collaboration with the cultural association Detour and Milano Film Festival, a selection of short movies, both Italian and international, will be held two Sundays a month every month. The “one man show” will leave performance freedom to artists, such as Roger Rossini alias Jet Set Roger, who will inaugurate the series of events with his Cabaret Solo. It is extraordinary to find out that Carmen Town cultural offerings are entirely free.

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My Creative Scene is an insight into different creative & cultural happenings in cities where our members and readers live. Browse through more insider guides here or contact us to write about the arts scene where you are.