Libreria Brac Firenze Celebrates 15 Years with Artist Recipe Book

Libreria Brac in Florence marks its 15th anniversary and 1,800 events with a book of 80 vegetarian recipes interpreted by 78 Italian artists, published by Corraini. Founded in 2009 by vegetarian chef Sacha Sandri Olmo and librarian Melisa Di Nardo, the venue combines a bookstore and restaurant. The book features contributions from artists including Bianco-Valente, Marta dell’Angelo, Iginio De Luca, Luigi Presicce, Virginia Zanetti, Eva Sauer, Francesco Lauretta, Chiara Mu, Flavio Favelli, Maria Crispal, Tiziana and Isabella Pers, and Virgilio Sieni. Since 2011, Brac has hosted Scripta, a series curated by Pietro Gaglianò, which has brought critics, authors, and many of the book's artists. The book includes texts by Rosaria Lorusso, Sandro Sangiorgi, and Stefano Bartezzaghi. In 2021, Brac expanded into adjacent space, doubling its area and dedicating the original room to dining while the new space houses books, a café, and event area. Future projects include the poetry series S/P/Read with Rosaria Lo Russo, the illustrated book series Radiosa with Vaia Balekis, and the music video series Feat. The founders hope to pass on a different idea of commerce to their children in a city affected by overtourism.