Scuola di Santa Rosa: a free drawing school born in a Florence bar

The Scuola di Santa Rosa, an informal drawing school founded by artists Luigi Presicce and Francesco Lauretta in Florence, celebrated its third anniversary in October 2020. It began spontaneously on a Tuesday three years ago when the two met to draw along the Lungarno Santa Rosa, inspired by the practice of wealthy Americans studying drawing in Florence. The sessions continued weekly, moving to the nearby Bistrot Santa Rosa in winter. The name 'Scuola' emerged organically, evoking the Scuola di Piazza del Popolo in Rome and Bar Giamaica in Milan. Word spread among Accademia friends and neighbors, attracting up to twenty participants, some traveling from Milan, Rome, or Bologna. No fees were charged, and attendance required only a coffee. Over three years, thousands of drawings were produced. The school has since expanded beyond Florence, with sessions held in New York at Sel Rrose, an oyster bar near the New Museum, as well as in Lecce, Palermo, Rome, Milan, Syracuse, Ragusa Ibla, Corigliano Calabro, and Gallipoli. The school has been invited to festivals, events, fairs, and museums, maintaining its original spirit of spontaneous, joyful drawing.