Bubble Planet
Bubble Planet is an immersive experience that plunges you into the wonderful world of bubbles for the first time! Explore a planet that will push back the limits of your imagination thanks to virtual reality, themed rooms, fantastic landscapes and even a hot-air balloon flight simulator. Travel from one immersive space to the next and thrill your 5 senses!
Tour & Taxis
Brussels
Exhibitions
Bubble Planet
After rain comes...
n May 2024, it rained for a whopping 23 days. Few were happy about that new record last spring, but the Sewer Museum is happy to elaborate on this topical issue. With our new theme, we would like to make the general public aware of solutions to manage rainwater more sustainably. Indeed, in cities, water finds it increasingly difficult to penetrate the soil.
Rain is an everyday topic that often comes up. The natural phenomenon continues to occupy our minds, from simple things like our weekend plans to serious concerns like climate change, heatwaves and floods.
But have you ever thought about what exactly happens after a rainstorm? What does rain do to our sewer system in Brussels and what effect does it have on the environment? And wouldn’t we be better off considering rain as a valuable resource rather than something to be disposed of as quickly as possible? All these questions and many more are addressed in the exhibition, through concrete examples and current, innovative solutions.
Sewer Museum
Brussels
Exhibitions
After rain comes...
House of Memory / بيت الذاكرة by Basil Al-Rawi
House of Memory / بيت الذاكرة is an immersive Virtual Reality experience by artist Basil Al-Rawi. Based on photographs and oral testimonies from the Iraq Photo Archive, he transforms archival material into a virtual space where memories can be revisited and explored.
In this 15-minute experience, you encounter personal stories of Iraq in the 1970s, as remembered by those who lived there. Through voices and images, Iraq emerges as a space of cultural richness and everyday life, shaped by memory and displacement of its people. The work offers a rare perspective on Iraqi history and diaspora experience.
Basil Al-Rawi works across photography, moving images, sculpture and digital technologies, exploring memory, identity and archival storytelling. The project was developed as part of his PhD research at the Glasgow School of Art.
House of Memory is part of Ireland’s cultural programme for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts
Brussels
Exhibitions
House of Memory / بيت الذاكرة by Basil Al-Rawi
Africa Legacy - Cradle of Art
Espace Vanderborght
Brussels
Exhibitions
Africa Legacy - Cradle of Art
Brussels Oktoberfest 2026
Brussels Oktoberfest brings the authentic spirit of Bavaria to the heart of Europe. From 14 to 24 October 2026, the iconic Cinquantenaire Park will host an immersive celebration of Bavarian traditions, food, music and hospitality. A unique cultural experience where Belgian hospitality meets the legendary Oktoberfest atmosphere.
Brussels Oktoberfest brings the authentic spirit of Bavaria to the heart of Europe. From 14 to 24 October 2026, the iconic Cinquantenaire Park will be transformed into a vibrant Bavarian village, welcoming visitors for an immersive celebration of tradition, music, food and hospitality. With long communal tables, live entertainment, traditional cuisine and the legendary Oktoberfest atmosphere, the event offers a unique opportunity to experience one of Europe’s most iconic celebrations without leaving Brussels. Bringing together Belgian and international visitors, Brussels Oktoberfest is more than a festival: it is a cultural experience where Bavarian tradition meets Belgian hospitality, creating unforgettable moments of conviviality, celebration and shared experiences.
Esplanade du Cinquantenaire
Brussels
Festival
Brussels Oktoberfest 2026
Edith Dekyndt x Cristobal Balenciaga
The Fabric Decides
Enter a unique dialogue between Belgian artist Edith Dekyndt and the rarely seen archives of Cristóbal Balenciaga. The exhibition examines the memory embedded in materials and the way they endure through time, revealing unexpected resonances between contemporary art and haute couture. It offers a poetic reflection on the present through gestures, skills, and forms in constant transformation, inviting you to discover this intimate and singular encounter up close.
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts
Brussels
Exhibitions
Edith Dekyndt x Cristobal Balenciaga
Jean Brusselmans - Painter by nature
In autumn 2026, Bozar will present a major retrospective of the painter Jean Brusselmans (1884–1953), the first comprehensive exhibition of his work since 1980. From the early 20th century onwards, Brusselmans developed a distinctive body of work, independent of artistic trends yet firmly rooted in painterly tradition. His deep connection to the Brabant landscape and his modest way of life are translated into an authentic and recognisable visual language, situated at the intersection of abstraction and figuration. Through some 120 works, the exhibition introduces visitors to the remarkable oeuvre of a still underappreciated Belgian artist. Dialogues with contemporaries such as Fernand Léger, Piet Mondrian and Rik Wouters offer a fresh perspective on his work.
The exhibition also highlights Brusselmans’ decorative commissions for the theatre, including the monumental sets he designed for the first French-language production of the opera Erwartung by Arnold Schoenberg at the Centre for Fine Arts in 1936. These lost stage designs are brought back to life by the contemporary Belgian painter Kristof Santy (b. 1987), who frequently draws inspiration from Brusselmans in his own work.
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts
Brussels
Exhibitions
Jean Brusselmans - Painter by nature
Alone, Not even scared (to be scared!)
For 20 years, Alone has captivated millions of readers with a question as simple as it is unsettling: what would children do if left to their own devices in a world without adults?
This summer, the Comic Art Museum in Brussels is celebrating this must-read series with "Alone, not even scared (to be scared!)", an immersive exhibition designed to send shivers down young readers’ spines and get their hearts racing… whilst bringing back memories for older visitors.
Meet the heroes created by Fabien Vehlmann and Bruno Gazzotti, with colours by Usagi, and dive into a world where adventure, friendship and mystery go hand in hand.
Step into the world of Alone… if you dare!
Curator: Thierry Bellefroid
Exhibition design: Élodie Descoubes
In collaboration with Publishers Rue de Sèvres and Dupuis.
Comic Art Museum
Brussels
Exhibitions
Alone, Not even scared (to be scared!)
ARTONOV Festival
12th Edition “We do not work alone.”
These words by the renowned Japanese ceramic artist Kanjiro Kawai, a key figure in the Mingei movement, serve as the guiding principle of the twelfth edition of the ARTONOV Festival. They express a fundamental conviction: creation never arises in isolation. It emerges from a living network of transmission, memories, shared gestures, and unseen presences. Every artistic act is shaped by what came before us—by people, materials, places, and traditions that continue to resonate in the present.
In 2026, Belgium and Japan celebrate the 160th anniversary of their cultural and diplomatic relations. On this occasion, ARTONOV invites artists from both countries to explore new dialogues between heritage and contemporary creation. This edition examines how ancient forms, rituals, and collective memories can still generate transformative experiences today.
Various locations in the Brussels Capital Region
Brussels
Festival
ARTONOV Festival
Mind of a Serial Killer : The Experience
Step into the twisted minds of history’s most notorious murderers at Mind of a Serial Killer in Brussels! Explore chillingly accurate crime scene recreations, decode evidence, and master criminal profiling. This immersive 90-minute journey at Tour & Taxis goes beyond the headlines to reveal the dark psychology of killers like Dahmer and Bundy. Dare to solve the case? (376 characters)
Are you ready to confront the darkest corners of the human mind? Mind of a Serial Killer: The Experience has arrived in Brussels, inviting you on a chilling, immersive 30-stop journey through the psychology and history of the world's most notorious murderers. Located at Tour & Taxis, this extraordinary exhibition goes far beyond the true-crime headlines.
Step straight into the eerily accurate recreations of infamous crime scenes—from Ted Bundy's Beetle to Jeffrey Dahmer's kitchen. But you won't just be a spectator. You’ll step into the shoes of a lead investigator! Examine victimology reports, decode hidden evidence, and learn the real forensic profiling techniques used to bring these monsters to justice. You can even strap in for a gripping VR experience to help solve a case in real-time.
Designed for mature audiences (16+), the 90 to 120-minute experience does not glorify the killers. Instead, it dissects the psychology of what drives a person to commit unthinkable acts, explores how these real-life horrors inspired Hollywood blockbusters, and creates a space to respectfully honor the slain victims. Discover the unsettling link between reality and fiction. Do you have what it takes to face the darkness?
Tour & Taxis
Brussels
Exhibitions
Mind of a Serial Killer : The Experience
William Kentridge - I am not me, the horse is not mine
William Kentridge began his artistic career at the height of the political struggle against the apartheid regime in his native South Africa. His work bears witness to a profound commitment – at once social, political and poetic – that continues to shape his artistic practice to this day.
Kentridge’s artistic output ranges from drawings, animated films and sculptures to prints, installations and videos. These works often emerge while he is directing a theatre or opera production, another field to which he devotes his energies. I am not me, the horse is not mine, William Kentridge’s solo exhibition at Bozar, offers a comprehensive overview of his oeuvre from the early 1980s to the present day. Several of his major stage productions receive special attention. The exhibition highlights the performative and collaborative nature of Kentridge’s practice, in which he allows art to evolve into a space for political inquiry, historical reckoning and poetic transformation.
William Kentridge will take over one of Bozar’s major exhibition spaces, create site-specific works, and curate a rich, multidisciplinary programme. This is by no means the first time we have welcomed Kentridge to Brussels. He has a long-standing connection with the city, where he premiered his first opera (Faustus in Africa! 1995), and where Bozar presented his first solo exhibition in Europe in 1998.
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts
Brussels
Exhibitions
William Kentridge - I am not me, the horse is not mine
Genesis
From 12 September 2026, Genesis, an immersive light and sound experience, will transform the Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon in Brussels. Following presentations in several major European cities, the experience brings together light, music and monumental projections in one of Brussels’ most iconic heritage sites.
Genesis finds a striking home in the Church of Our Lady of Victories at the Sablon, one of Belgium’s finest examples of Brabantine Gothic architecture. The centuries-old church provides a remarkable setting for the experience, as light, music and projections interact with the architecture, revealing its monumental spaces in a whole new light. Over 30 minutes, the audience follows the seven days of Creation as recounted in the Book of Genesis. From the creation of light to the emergence of humankind, the spectacle traces the creation of the heavens and the earth, the seas, the stars, plants and animals. A soundtrack combining classical music with contemporary compositions adds to the poetic and contemplative character of Genesis, creating an immersive experience in which the architecture, music and imagery come together.
Église Notre-Dame du Sablon
Brussels
Show
Genesis
Val Saint-Lambert & Design
In 1826, François Kemlin and Auguste Lelièvre founded the public limited company ‘Verreries et Établissements du Val Saint-Lambert’ in Seraing. The glassworks quickly benefited from considerable investment, which promoted technical progress, the growth of exports and the promotion of a young national industry. In 1879, they became Cristalleries du Val Saint-Lambert, a key player that successively bought up several glassworks and, between 1880 and 1914, enjoyed a real golden age: more than 5,000 workers, outlets all over the world and a reputation consolidated by prestigious participations in the World’s Fairs, from 1894 in Antwerp to 1925 in Paris. Throughout its existence, Val Saint-Lambert has successfully reinvented itself, navigating the Art Nouveau era, the 1930s and the post-war period by collaborating with renowned artists and designers: Léon Ledru (1855–1926), the Muller brothers (Henri Muller, 1868–1936; Désiré Muller, 1877–1952; Eugène Muller, 1883–1914), Charles Graffart (1893–1967), René Delvenne (1901–1968), Yan Zoritchak (born in 1944) and Philippe Starck (born in 1949).
In 2026, Cristalleries will celebrate its bicentenary. To mark this anniversary, the Design Museum Brussels is joining forces with several museums and scientific institutions to highlight this jewel of Belgian industrial heritage and creativity. In collaboration with the Charleroi Glass Museum and curated by Catherine Thomas and Anne Vanlatum, the exhibition Val Saint-Lambert & Design at the Design Museum Brussels is dedicated to the creative output of Val Saint-Lambert from the 1958 World’s Fair to the early 2000s, a period that witnessed an unprecedented creative renewal. It embodies Val Saint-Lambert’s desire to preserve craftsmanship while bringing it into the modern era and engaging in constant dialogue with design. In line with the American Studio Glass movement, it opened its doors to international artists and designers who, alongside the crystal factory’s master glassmakers, experimented with new forms and pushed the boundaries of creation. Crystal, a material that symbolises artisanal excellence, became the medium for bold creations, combining traditional know-how with aesthetic innovations. Created in 1989 under the impetus of director Patrick Depuydt, the Crystal Studio marked a decisive step in the history of Val Saint-Lambert.
Through this joint exhibition, the Design Museum Brussels and the Charleroi Glass Museum invite their visitors to discover the Crystal Studio, a founding chapter in the contemporary history of glass, reflecting the dynamism, the innovation and the international influence of the Cristalleries du Val Saint-Lambert.
Design Museum Brussels
Laeken
Exhibitions
Val Saint-Lambert & Design
DRAWING THE STAGE - Women Set Designers 1927–2026
Presented from 24 September to 23 October 2026 at ENSAV La Cambre, as part of HerStories and La Cambre’s centenary celebrations, the exhibition “Drawing the Stage – Women Set Designers 1927–2026” highlights the essential contribution of women set designers to the history of the performing arts in Belgium, from 1927 to the present day.
Echoing the history of La Cambre, the first art and design school in Brussels to open its doors to women in 1927, the exhibition explores scenography through the lens of gender. In this context, “Drawing the Stage – Women Set Designers 1927–2026” takes the form of a manifesto exhibition in which curator Annabel Vergne brings together historical documents and interviews conducted between 2023 and 2025 by Milena Forest and Clémence Thiery with contemporary women set designers.
The exhibition brings together historical archives, models, drawings, photographs, working objects and audio interviews, revealing the richness and diversity of scenographic practices over almost a century. It creates a dialogue between historical figures represented in the archives of La Cambre, Kanal Architecture Brussels, the Archives & Museum of Literature, and La Monnaie Theatre, and contemporary set designers whose testimonies provide insight into the realities of the profession today.
By bringing together different generations and periods, the exhibition reveals both the continuities and transformations within the profession, as well as the issues that continue to shape it: invisibility, structural inequalities, the balance between creative work and family life, but also artistic commitment, collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Their stories enter into dialogue with the archives of figures who have shaped the history of scenography and the performing arts in Belgium, including Suzanne Fabry, Marguerite Acarin, known as Akarova, Nany Renkin and Suzanne Wauters. The exhibition also highlights careers connected to the history of La Cambre through the work of Elisabeth Ivanovsky and Marie-Luce Bonfanti, whose trajectories reflect the pioneering role played by the school in training women artists and creators.
Eleven themes, directly inspired by the words and experiences of the set designers interviewed, structure the exhibition. These include Training, I Am a Swiss Army Knife, I Need to Make in Order to Think, This Is How You Make a Set Designer Disappear, Every Scenography Contributes to the Staging, and Archiving.
Reflecting this diversity of experiences and voices, the exhibition unfolds as a series of thematic islands, inviting visitors to explore freely. With no imposed route or strict chronology, visitors are encouraged to move between archives, models and testimonies, creating their own connections between different periods, practices and experiences.
Together, these archives, testimonies and productions contribute to a broader history of scenography and help build a still largely overlooked women’s cultural heritage. “Drawing the Stage – Women Set Designers 1927–2026” calls for the creation of a genuine heritage of women’s contributions to scenography in Belgium. By encouraging the preservation of archives and the recognition of these works, the exhibition contributes to writing a more balanced and inclusive history of the arts.
Curated by Annabel Vergne and with exhibition design by Milena Forest, “Drawing the Stage – Women Set Designers 1927–2026” is conceived and produced by Écarlate la compagnie and the FAME Festival, with the support of AML and FWB, as part of the Collectives of Associations for the Representation of Women in Culture.
“Drawing the Stage – Women Set Designers 1927–2026” features testimonies from contemporary set and costume designers including Sandrine Clark, Aurélie Deloche, Claire Farah, Christine Flasschoen, Anne Guilleray, Maggy Jacot, Zouzou Leyens, Christine Mobers, Marie Szersnovitcz, Anna Terrien and Sabine Theunissen.
ENSAV La Cambre
Brussels
Exhibitions
DRAWING THE STAGE - Women Set Designers 1927–2026
Icons, 20 years Designer of the Year
In 2006, the first “Designer of the Year” award was presented in Belgium. The prize was originally established by the Interieur Biennale and the magazines Knack Weekend and Le Vif Weekend, and was awarded that year to Brussels-based designer Alain Berteau. Over the years, various partners joined the initiative, and it grew into a well-established reference in the Belgian design landscape.
Twenty years later, the list of laureates reads as a best-of-the-best of what the country has to offer in contemporary design: from ceramic designers and silversmiths to product and lighting designers. Concepts such as innovation, originality, and ecology are often central to their work. The list includes names such as Muller Van Severen, Alain Gilles, Nedda El-Asmar, Julien Renault, and Linde Freya Tangelder. On the occasion of the 20th edition of the title, all twenty names come together in an exhibition at MAD Brussels, on view from 1 October to 12 December.
MAD Brussels
Brussels
Exhibitions
Icons, 20 years Designer of the Year
Future Generation, MAD Graduation Show 2026
A ceramic installation evoking a rural interior and textiles made from reclaimed cardboard collected in Brussels. Following its annual tradition, the group exhibition 'Future Generation: The MAD Graduation Show' celebrates the winners of the MAD Graduation Prize 2026 while showcasing their innovative graduation projects. No fewer than seven institutions are represented in the exhibition: Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, College of Art and Design, Ateliers Saint Luc, École supérieure des arts Saint Luc, Haute Ecole Francisco Ferrer, La Cambre and LUCA School Of Arts. From textile design and interior design to industrial product development and fashion design, a total of 14 winners are honoured at MAD Brussels from 1 October to 12 December.
MAD Brussels
Brussels
Exhibitions
Future Generation, MAD Graduation Show 2026
Reinventing Photography
Reinventing Photography celebrates the medium’s 200th anniversary through 20 original creative projects. From revisited historical techniques to the most contemporary technologies, from intimate and collective memory to the current upheavals of the image world, the artists explore the many paths through which photography continues to reinvent itself.
Hangar
Ixelles
Exhibitions
Reinventing Photography
MashaaDunya Festival
Various places in Brussels
Brussels
Festival
MashaaDunya Festival
Ali Cherri - 'Soul Witness'
For the first time, several of Ali Cherri’s major bodies of work are gathered, including his upcoming film The Sentinel (2026). Alongside, a series of sculptures, watercolour drawings and installations act as a sustained inquiry into how institutions of power — the nation-state, the military and even the museum — shape the ways history is constructed and remembered.
Wiels - Contemporary art centre
Forest
Exhibitions
Ali Cherri - 'Soul Witness'
Germaine Rimbout. Poetry. Color. Movement.
This spring, the Spilliaert Room brings to light a figure who long remained in the shadows: Germaine Rimbout (1894–1973), a Brussels-based artist with a singular trajectory.
This spring, the Spilliaert Room brings to light a figure who long remained in the shadows: Germaine Rimbout (1894–1973), a Brussels-based artist with a singular trajectory.
Influenced by Cubism and Fauvism, her work evolved after the Second World War toward a freer abstraction and an increasingly daring colour palette.
An exhibition driven as much by the strength of the work as by the personality of the artist. As a female creator in a world still largely dominated by men at the time, she succeeded in forging her own path.
Her artistic journey reflects the tensions and aspirations of an era.
In collaboration with KBR
Since 21 May 2025, the Spilliaert Room has immersed visitors in the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian illustrator and draughtsman. This new space also hosts temporary presentations of works on paper and honours the exceptional contribution of Spilliaert, whose work enters into dialogue with that of other artists from the collections.
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Brussels
Exhibitions
Germaine Rimbout. Poetry. Color. Movement.
Museum of museums
Works from the Art et marges museum collection successively transform the spaces in which they are displayed.
A botanical garden, a planetarium, an anthropological cabinet, a folklore museum… these settings unfold before the viewer like a series of temples, each infused with its own atmosphere by the Muses. Is the museum a sacred place?
MUSEUM OF MUSEUMS sets out to dismantle the walls we so often imagine standing between artwork and audience. Through scenographic and educational displays inspired by different museum typologies, and with objects brought out from the reserves, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the exhibition as a total experience.
Amid the Art brut collections — between tissue paper and the scent of popcorn (come and see for yourself!) — works from the contemporary visual arts scene also appear. While the Art et marges museum may delight, for the occasion, in spotting categories everywhere, its true specialty lies in creating dialogue between them.
Seyni Awa Camara, Pierre Bonvoisin, Charlotte Beaudry, Géraldine Beaupère, Bernd & Hilla Becher, Umberto Bergamaschi, Jean-Baptiste Bernadet, Alexandre Bernardi, Pascal Bernier, Ghyslain Bertholon, Anacleto Borghi, Magali Cadelli, Solène Calderon, Alejandro Cardenas, Ignacio Carles Tolra, Pierre Coene, Tony Convey, Georges Counasse, Caroline Dahyot, Michel Dave, Clément Davout, Alain Delaunay...
Art & marges museum
Brussels
Exhibitions
Museum of museums
Art nouveau versus Art Deco? 1850–1950: a century in 31 seats
Dive into a century of revolutions in design and architecture! Between Art Nouveau and modernism, discover 31 iconic chairs revealing the evolutions and continuities that have shaped the way we live.
From June 25, 2026, to January 10, 2027, the Horta Museum presents the exhibition Art Nouveau versus Art Deco? 1850–1950: A Century in 31 Seats. The exhibition features thirty chairs by leading designers, from Victor Horta and Henry van de Velde to Le Corbusier and Marcel Breuer, offering insight into a century of transformation in design and architecture in the Western world. Although Art Nouveau and Art Deco are often seen as opposites, this exhibition brings them into dialogue through the chair, an iconic object in interior architecture. The chair serves as the central thread and illustrates how designers are connected across generations.
Horta Museum
Saint-Gilles
Exhibitions
Art nouveau versus Art Deco? 1850–1950: a century in 31 seats
In the footsteps of Bart Van Loo and the Burgundians
Bart Van Loo invites you to view one of the most fascinating periods of our history through his eyes: an era in which art and power elevate one another to new heights.
Together with KBR, he has created a remarkable museum route. Here you will discover original watercolours by Jean-Léon Huens, presented alongside exceptional manuscripts, prints and engravings from the KBR collections.
These documents illustrate Bart’s fascination with history and make the world of the Burgundian court tangible. For this route, he wrote texts that capture the Burgundian origins of our shared history.
Continue your discovery in Brussels
Your journey through the Burgundian world does not have to end at the KBR museum. With the podwalk In the footsteps of the Burgundians, Bart Van Loo guides you through Brussels.
Using the VRT PodWalks app, you walk past places where the Burgundian past can still be felt today , from Place Royale, via Hotel Ravenstein and the Nassau Chapel, to the Grand Place and St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral.
KBR
Brussels
Exhibitions
In the footsteps of Bart Van Loo and the Burgundians
Exhibithion Simplicities
In the summer of 2026, the Fashion & Lace Museum invites you to discover the simplicity of clothing. Spanning more than two centuries of history, this new exhibition looks back at moments when clothing leaned towards simplicity, functionality, and naturalness.
In the summer of 2026, the Fashion & Lace Museum invites you to discover the simplicity of clothing. Spanning more than two centuries of history, this new exhibition looks back at moments when clothing leaned towards simplicity, functionality, and naturalness. Often associated with luxury, glamour, and novelty, fashion is revealed here as a mirror of cultural and social change. A theme that, until now, has been little studied.
Simplicites begins at the end of the 18th century. The philosophy of the Enlightenment, along with medical and hygienist discourse, called for a profound reform of the way people dressed. A return to nature manifested itself in a rejection of corrective artifices, new cuts, breathable materials, and an aesthetic vocabulary inspired by Antiquity. The clothing ideal became a reflection of a new lifestyle combining comfort, freedom of the body, and closeness to nature.
The exhibition is divided into six chapters, each highlighting the different aspects of this simplicity. Drawn from history, the pieces shown in these thematic capsules reveal the continuity, resurgence, and paradoxes of this aesthetic. Discover this lesser-known side of fashion history.
Fashion & Lace Museum
Brussels
Exhibitions
Exhibithion Simplicities
Edgar Sarin - 'Matthäus-Passion'
The exhibition at Fondation CAB brings together recent works by Edgar Sarin alongside works by Sol LeWitt, Cy Twombly, Robert Barry, Peter Buggenhout, Niele Toroni, Miquel Barceló, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Louise Lawler, Joseph Beuys, Merry Alpern, Brice Marden, and Nan Goldin.
Borrowed from Johann Sebastian Bach, the title Matthäus-Passion refers here to a composition of autonomous voices, in which each presence acts upon the others.
Passion is understood here as a state, one of intensity, where works coexist and test one another. The artist stands amid that which has shaped him, not to produce a synthesis, but to sustain its living tension, beyond homage.
Matthäus-Passion is a place where looking becomes an undeniably physical experience; where art history is no longer a backdrop but an active material; where works do not merely respond to one another ; they persist alongside us.
Fondation CAB
Ixelles
Exhibitions
Edgar Sarin - 'Matthäus-Passion'
Postcolonial?
The House of European History explores Europe’s colonial legacy in its new temporary exhibition “Postcolonial?”
Starting with the structural foundations of European colonialism, going through how Europeans preserved power as their empires collapsed and in what manner that affected newly independent countries, the exhibition takes us to present times. It invites us to reflect on the ways colonial history still shapes life today.
Following the Second World War, colonial power seemed to crumble. From 1945 to the end of the twentieth century, more than 80 colonies overcame European rule and declared independence. After decades or even centuries of resistance to brutal oppression, their victories appeared to mark a decisive break with the past. But appearances can be deceiving.
How did the colonial matrix of power – the ideas, events, inequalities and injustices born of colonialism – continue to shape the modern world?
Unique artworks, historical objects and personal stories accompany the visitor throughout this much-needed European reckoning with colonialism.
House of European History
Brussels
Exhibitions
Postcolonial?
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
Get ready to discover the largest touring exhibition ever created around the enchanting world of Harry Potter™ at Harry Potter™: The Exhibition, from July 16 util November 8th at Brussels Expo, Hall 2! Explore authentic film props, iconic costumes, step into unforgettable scenes, test your wizarding skills and experience a magical adventure for witches, wizards and Muggles of all ages!
From July 16 until November 8th 2026, Harry Potter™: The Exhibition invites visitors in Hall 2 at Brussels Expo to immerse themselves in the enchanting world of Harry Potter. The world’s largest touring Harry Potter exhibition brings together authentic film props, original costumes and interactive technologies in a truly immersive experience. The exhibition has already captivated more than 4.6 million visitors worldwide. Tickets are available at www.brussels.harrypotterexhibition.com/en/
Brussels Expo - Palace 2
Laeken
Exhibitions
Harry Potter: The Exhibition
M.C. Escher - Beyond Infinity
The M.C. Escher – Beyond Infinity exhibition in Brussels invites you to explore the complex and fascinating oeuvre of this legendary artist.
Featuring over 150 original works, the exhibition charts the entirety of M.C. Escher’s career: from his early Italian landscapes to his iconic metamorphoses, tessellations, and impossible worlds.
The M.C. Escher – Beyond Infinity exhibition in Brussels invites you to explore the complex and fascinating oeuvre of this legendary artist.
Featuring over 150 original works, the exhibition charts the entirety of M.C. Escher’s career: from his early Italian landscapes to his iconic metamorphoses, tessellations, and impossible worlds. The journey is enhanced by an innovative scenography that seamlessly blends architectural structures with visual creations, allowing for a total immersion into the artist’s mind.
As you move through the galleries, the sheer diversity of the Dutch engraver’s output unfolds—a body of work that is at once playful, artistic, and intellectual. Interactive modules further enrich this experience, offering a closer, more intimate look at his creative process. Step into a faithful recreation of the master’s workspace, help bring a metamorphosis to life, and transport yourself into the heart of an impossible shape…
Evoking the warm glow of a sunset over the Italian landscapes Escher held so dear, the staging is conceived as an integral part of the exhibition itself. It serves to elevate the master’s works, showcasing them in all their profound complexity.
Tour & Taxis - Shed 4bis
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Exhibitions
M.C. Escher - Beyond Infinity
Tutankhamun - The Immersive Exhibition
TUTANKHAMUN - THE IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION IN BRUSSELS
For over 100 years, the myths surrounding Pharaoh Tutankhamun have captivated people around the world. Now ancient Egypt is being resurrected: Tutankhamun - The Immersive Exhibition takes you into the legendary ancient Egypt and its secrets through new, digital multimedia Egyptian art.
Step into Ancient Egypt like never before with Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition in Brussels! This stunning technological production features a 360-degree video mapping room with 6-meter-high projections, a virtual reality experience in the Valley of the Kings, and a gallery filled with carefully selected replicas and historical Egyptian artifacts. This limited-time exhibition in Brussels is a must-see—an exceptional outing for culture lovers, tech enthusiasts, history fans, school groups, families, and anyone eager to dive into a unique and pharaonic experience. Get your tickets now for Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition in Brussels!
Brussels Expo Palais 1/ Paleis 1
Laeken
Exhibitions
Tutankhamun - The Immersive Exhibition
With Cineville, enjoy infinite cinema!
For a fixed monthly fee starting at € 18,50, Cineville gives you infinite cinema access.
++ Infinite screenings ++ Always something new to discover ++ You support your favourite cinema
With your Cineville Pass you go to the cinema whenever and wherever you like from €18,50 / month (–26 years) or €22,50 / month (+26 years).
Cineville cinemas in Brussels: Aventure • Cineflagey • Cinema RITCS • CINEMATEK • Galeries • Le Stockel • Nova • Palace • Vendôme
With over 25 Cineville cinemas in Belgium, you’ll always find one nearby: www.cinevillepass.be/en-BE/cinemas.
Various independent cinemas - Cineville
Brussels
Cinema
With Cineville, enjoy infinite cinema!
Mangatopia 30: years of manga from Kana!
For thirty years, Kana Editions has been at the forefront of manga’s rise within the French-speaking cultural landscape. Through works that have become essential reading and a remarkable diversity of stories, it has enabled several generations of readers to discover a medium that has become a true global cultural phenomenon.
To mark this anniversary, the Brussels Comic Strip Museum presents MANGATOPIA: 30 Years of Manga from Kana!, an exhibition that invites the public to immerse themselves in this world. Thanks to a thoughtfully designed exhibition layout, a varied selection of works and exclusive accounts from leading mangaka and key figures on the Japanese scene, visitors can discover the many facets of an art form that has constantly reinvented itself.
Conceived as a museum exhibition in its own right, MANGATOPIA brings together in Brussels an exceptional collection of original artwork (some of which has never left Japan) and other rare pieces, offering an enriching insight into the history and aesthetics of manga. For the first time in the Belgian capital, these historical and artistic artefacts are brought together in a single exhibition, allowing the public to appreciate this heritage in all its richness.
Designed for enthusiasts and newcomers alike, MANGATOPIA celebrates creativity, the power of storytelling and manga’s extraordinary ability to bring together different generations and cultures. More than just an anniversary exhibition, it is an invitation to explore a boundless world of imagination and to understand why manga is now one of the most universal cultural languages.
Curator : Frederico Anzalone
A collaboration with Kana and the Kyonto Manga Museum, Kyoto Seika University - international manga research center.
With the support of the Japanese Embassy in Belgium.
Poster : Inio Asano
Comic Art Museum
Brussels
Exhibitions
Mangatopia 30: years of manga from Kana!
INUIT - Impressions of the Canadian Far North
With nearly 250 artworks on display, this major exhibition offers the European public a rare opportunity to discover contemporary Inuit art. This expo shows the Inuit world, exploring traditions, Arctic fauna, and contemporary concerns such as climate change. Using prints, drawings and sculptures, these artists explore the human-animal relationship, identity and the transformation of landscapes.
With nearly 250 artworks on display, this exhibition offers the European public a rare opportunity to discover contemporary Inuit art. Moving beyond an ethnographic approach, the exhibited works are first and foremost those of artists whose creations engage with the major challenges of our time and with
the authentic voices of the Inuit communities of Nunavut and Nunavik.
Using prints, drawings and sculptures, these artists explore the human-animal relationship, along with concepts such as memory, identity and the transformation of landscapes and territories.
Inspired by the collection assembled by the Belgian poet Carl Norac, with additional contributions from several major European museums, the exhibition highlights the rich variety of materials and the diversity of artistic techniques.
Art & History Museum (RMAH)
Brussels
Exhibitions
INUIT - Impressions of the Canadian Far North
Animazing
SEE NATURE LIKE NEVER BEFORE
Sleeping upright, changing colour with the seasons, running like a marathon champion, or seeing in every direction at once…
Incredible, but true!
Welcome to the fascinating world of ANIMAZING. Through captivating stories, 78 animals reveal their extraordinary abilities and remarkable survival strategies. From the sea slug that can photosynthesise to the acrobatic spider monkey, every species has an amazing story to tell.
A bold exhibition design invites visitors of all ages into a world where nature never ceases to astound and inspire.
Both moving and playful, ANIMAZING encourages everyone to look at the living world with fresh eyes, reflect on the relationship between humans and nature, and imagine the future. This colourful journey awakens the senses, stirs curiosity, and sparks positive emotions at every step.
What if nature pushed the boundaries of the possible?
Yes, they can!
ANIMAZING – the exhibition where every animal hides something extraordinary. For explorers ages 8 and up.
Institute of Natural Sciences
Brussels
Exhibitions
Animazing
Museum Night Fever
It's time for for the newest edition of your favorite museum night: Museum Night Fever. Save the date for 17 October from 19:00 to 01:00 for a night to remember in 28 museums, with over 100 activities proposed by emerging artists, and 2 afterparties at C12 and Botanique.
Get ready for a night full of cabaret, improv theatre, and dance, where the music journeys from the sounds of the traditional Belgian hommel to dystopian sound labs and the vibrant rhythms of Congolese rumba. Step into a sewer, be part of a Zinneke Parade, become a player in a live game, or watch a live tattoo performance; Museum Night Fever has something for everyone!
Saturday 17 October 2026 - 28 museums in Brussels
Museums open their doors from 19:00 till 01:00.
The afterparties take place at C12 between 23:30-07:00 and at Botanique between 23:30-05:00.
Prices
Presales – 28.09 > 16.10
Standard ticket €18
Combi ticket: standard + afterparty C12 or Botanique €29
On the day - 17.10
Standard ticket €22
Combi ticket: standard + afterparty C12 or Botanique €33
Social discount rates are available through Article 27 (€1,25 a ticket) and Paspartoe (€2 a ticket or a €6 discount via Cultuurbon), and the European Disability Card (5€ discount).
Points of Sale
Online: museumnightfever.be
+ muntpunt and in various museums
The full programme will be online on www.museumnightfever.be from 28 September.
28 Brussels museums & over 100 emerging artists
Brussels Museums
Brussels
Festival
Museum Night Fever
Heroes World Featuring Made in Asia
Heroes World Featuring Made in Asia
Meet legendary stars and artists, score exclusive merchandise, take on interactive challenges, and live your passions 100%! Hardcore movie fan or just curious? This event is made for you.
Block October 17 & 18, 2026 in your calendar! Sci-fi, fantasy, comics, manga: get ready for the most epic mega-gathering of the year!
Ready to experience an extraordinary cinematic adventure? Welcome to Heroes World Featuring Made in Asia!
Meet your favorite actors and artists, discover exclusive gems, capture unforgettable moments, and dive into 100% interactive games. Right in the heart of Europe, it’s time to bring your passions to life!
Whether you’re the ultimate geek or simply a movie fan, Heroes World is made for you. Pop culture knows no limits!
Save the dates: October 17–18, 2026. Fantasy, sci-fi, comics, manga, anime… get ready for the most epic event of the year. A historic edition awaits!
Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort in Harry Potter) – James Lafferty (One Tree Hill) – Michael Weatherly (NCIS) – Cote de Pablo (NCIS) – Io Sakisaka (Mangaka of Ao Haru Ride) – Donald Reignoux (French voice of Titeuf, Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield, etc.) – Bastien Bourlé (French voice of Eren in Attack on Titan and Deku in My Hero Academia) – Jean-Pierre Michaël (French voice of Keanu Reeves)
Brussels Expo
Laeken
Festival
Heroes World Featuring Made in Asia
Festival Des Libertés
Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles
Brussels
Festival
Festival Des Libertés
Soleil Noir : Léon Spilliaert, Michaël Borremans, James Ensor…
Soleil Noir presents this autumn at Villa Empain nearly one hundred works by exclusively Belgian artists. Spanning 130 years of artistic creation, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the work of Léon Spilliaert alongside major figures of modern and contemporary art.
The exhibition unfolds through themes such as the self-portrait, the nude, melancholy, landscape, and the North Sea. An exceptional selection of more than thirty works by Léon Spilliaert enters into dialogue with creations by his contemporaries, including James Ensor, Constant Permeke, Edgar Tytgat, George Minne, and Henry Van de Velde. The exhibition also highlights the profound influence of this Belgian artistic tradition on subsequent generations, from Luc Tuymans and Thierry De Cordier to Hans Op de Beeck and Michaël Borremans.
An invitation to discover the many echoes that connect the great masters of Belgian art with the artists who continue to shape the way we see the world today.
Boghossian Foundation - Villa Empain
Ixelles
Exhibitions
Soleil Noir : Léon Spilliaert, Michaël Borremans, James Ensor…
Brussels Diwali Festival
Brussels Diwali Festival turns ten. Two days of light, music, dance and food on the Atomium esplanade, with fireworks . Classical and Bollywood stages, the Brides of India fashion show, workshops, a food village of India's regional kitchens and a Maha Aarti at the foot of the Atomium. Theme 2026: Culture United. Tickets from €10.
The Brussels Diwali Festival celebrates its tenth edition on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026 on the Atomium esplanade, from 12:00 to 23:00.
Diwali, the Festival of Lights, marks the victory of light over darkness. For ten years Brussels has celebrated it under a national monument, and the anniversary edition is the largest yet. Under the theme Culture United, Indian communities from across Europe and guest performers from invited European countries share the stage.
On the programme: a continuous stage of classical dance, Hindustani and Carnatic music, folk forms and Bollywood; the Brides of India fashion show; Maha Aarti and a temple on site; workshops in dance, rangoli, mehndi and more for all ages; The festive Lights and a food village bringing together India's regional kitchens. Each evening closes with the biggest Bollywood party in Europe.
Organised by Art India ASBL with the support of the City of Brussels and the Embassy of India.
The festival is fully cashless.
Presale Tickets from €10 online, free for children under 12.
Brides of India (fashion show); [ART INDIA DANCE ENSEMBLE] (Bharatanatyam/Kathak); DJ Nitro; DJ Param; Art India Music Conservatory (music); guest performers from invited European countries; fireworks; laser show
+ many more
Atomiumsquare
Laeken
Festival
Brussels Diwali Festival
Filem'On - International Film Festival for Young Audiences
Filem’On, the International Film Festival for Young Audiences in Brussels, is celebrating its 20th edition with a spectacular program. From October 25 to November 7, schools, families, and groups with children aged 2 to 16 are warmly invited to discover the festival.
Filem’On, the International Film Festival for Young Audiences in Brussels, is celebrating its 20th edition with a spectacular program. From October 25 to November 7, schools, families, and groups with children aged 2 to 16 are warmly invited to discover the festival.
Under the theme “Filem’On Flashes", the festival presents over 130 international films—both past and present—spanning all genres and formats.
Come to the festival to meet the directors and actors behind brilliant films, sign up for one of the many workshops, or get swept away by the Ciné-concert at the festive opening. And don’t forget to vote for the Audience Award, presented on closing night (everyone welcome!).
Are you a young film fan? Looking for a fun family outing during the autumn break? Visit Brussels' most beautiful cinemas for a film-tastic adventure!
Filem'on asbl
Brussels
Cinema
Filem'On - International Film Festival for Young Audiences
Dia de Muertos
Marolles
Brussels
Festival
Dia de Muertos
Pink Screens Festival
25 years and still going strong!
Pink Screens is celebrating its 25th edition. Almost a quarter of a century of showing queer films, shaking things up on screen, stirring up desires, strong emotions, and ideas… and clearly, we still have no intention of slowing down. For this anniversary edition, yellow and fuchsia are once again taking over the cinemas and cultural venues in the centre of Brussels. Films, discussions, readings, performances, meet-and-greets, parties, and a few surprises: at 25, we can still go all out.
Genres d'à côté - Pink Screens
Brussels
Festival
Pink Screens Festival
Les Nuits Weekender
A 3-day music festival at Botanique, in the heart of Brussels, from October 30th to November 1st
30/10 : IAMDDB: The Live Jazz Experience • Arima Ederra • Kabeaushé • keiyaA • Momo Boyd • Natanya • Tasha
31/10 : The Avalanches • Antony Szmierek • Fade Evare • Hether • KatzPascale • Konradsen • Magi Merlin • Momoko Gill • Rian Brazil • Robber Robber • Swapmeet • Victoryland
01/11 : Chanel Beads • ear • A Good Year • bloodsports • Camille Keller • feeo • Lindy Versyck • Loukeman • MGNA Crrrta • Patch + • Quiet Light • Space Afrika (A/V) • Superfan • weed420 • Worldpeace DMT
Botanique
Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode
Festival
Les Nuits Weekender
Brigitte en Novembre
The current Belgian French-language choreographic scene
From now on, we will be dedicating the month of November at Les Brigittines to Belgian choreographic creation, and more specifically to artists from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, bringing together both established names and exciting emerging talent.
For this second edition, five performances await discovery: five worlds, five distinct personalities, at the crossroads of dance, dance theatre, physical theatre and performance.
After months of rehearsals, Ahmed Ayed, Oumar Diallo, Delphine Friquet and Astéro Styliani Lamprinou will unveil their premieres. Benjamin Kahn, meanwhile, will make his Belgian debut with the production he created abroad several months earlier.
Five new dance works, all co-produced by Les Brigittines, tracing the diversity of choreographic creation in French-speaking Belgium.
Les Brigittines
Brussels
Festival
Brigitte en Novembre
Amazing Asia
Amazing Asia is Brussels' pan-Asian festival. From 6 to 8 November, Tour & Taxis becomes a journey across Asia: street food from dozens of cuisines, crafts and design, acrobatics, lion dances and fire shows. Three days of culture, flavours and spectacle for all ages, no plane ticket required.
For three days, Tour & Taxis becomes a journey across Asia. From Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November, Amazing Asia brings the best of the continent to Brussels, no plane ticket required.
Spectacle on stage. Acrobats defying gravity, thundering taiko drums, a lion dance and a dragon weaving through the crowd. Fire shows, a belly dancer, K-pop dance crews and martial arts complete the line-up.
Taste. Street food from dozens of cuisines: Japanese ramen, Indian curry, Korean snacks, Thai desserts.
Shop from the makers. Fashion and textiles, jewellery, homeware and wellness, straight from the people who make or import them.
Join in. Workshops, gaming, anime and pop culture, and a Travel Lounge full of ideas for your next trip. Younger visitors have their own space: the Kids Temple.
Amazing Asia is a festival for everyone: for those who know Asia, for those who have long wanted to go, and for anyone in the mood for a day full of flavour, colour and movement.
Tour & Taxis - Shed 1
Brussels
Fairs and shows
Amazing Asia
Parcours d'artistes d'Ixelles
From 6 to 8 November 2026, Parcours d’Artistes d’Ixelles invites you to discover 120 artists across 90 venues throughout the municipality. Studios, homes, schools, cultural venues and unexpected spaces open their doors for three days of painting, photography, sculpture, performances, dance and music. Discover Ixelles’ vibrant art scene up close.
Organised and coordinated by Vaisseau Mère non-profit association, with the support of the Municipality of Ixelles, the Parcours d’Artistes d’Ixelles 2026 will take place on 6, 7 and 8 November 2026.
The idea is simple: for three days, to turn Ixelles into one large open-air artistic trail by opening the doors of studios, homes, cultural venues, schools, associations and all kinds of places that you would not normally have the opportunity to visit.
This year, the Parcours will bring together around 120 artists across 90 different locations throughout the municipality. Participants include the École des Arts d’Ixelles, Rhizomes, Créahm, Usquare, the Ateliers Kult XL, the Boondael Chapel and ULB Culture, alongside numerous artists’ studios, private homes, collective spaces and more unexpected venues.
Some locations will receive particular attention, with more developed curatorial proposals. This will notably be the case at l’Horloge du Sud, with a carefully curated selection featuring, among others, the work of Maliza Kiasuwa, a Belgian-Congolese artist whose practice explores abstract painting and sculpture.
The Parcours is deliberately highly multidisciplinary. Alongside visual arts, photography, painting, sculpture and installations, visitors will also discover performances, dance, music and other hybrid forms. The aim is to showcase the diversity of artistic practices being developed in Ixelles today, bringing together both emerging and established artists, as well as more experimental approaches.
An important part of the project is also about opening up artists’ living and working spaces. We do not simply want to present finished works, but also give the public the opportunity to step into studios, meet artists, discover their working environments and, sometimes, get a glimpse into their daily lives. The Parcours thus becomes an opportunity to create encounters between artists, neighbours, residents and people passing through the municipality.
To make the whole experience easier to navigate, the trail will be organised around several hubs — the university district, Flagey and Fernand Cocq — with the route of bus 95 serving as a common thread. This bus line crosses a large part of Ixelles, providing a natural link between different neighbourhoods, venues and atmospheres, and making it easy for visitors to move from one location to another.
**Côté fenêtre**
This year, we will also welcome an associated artist, Lucie Sans Peur, with her project Côté fenêtre.
The idea is to invite artists to display their work behind the windows or shopfronts of Ixelles residents. The works remain visible from the street, turning windows into small galleries that are open to everyone throughout the Parcours.
We particularly like this project because it perfectly reflects the spirit we want to give this edition: taking art out of its usual spaces, bringing it directly into the city and creating encounters between artists, residents and passers-by.
**Three days of programming**
The Parcours will open on Friday 6 November from 6 pm to 10 pm, with the opening of studios, homes and exhibitions, as well as a launch evening featuring, among other things, music and dance.
On Saturday 7 November, the venues will be open from 11 am to 6 pm.
On Sunday 8 November, the trail will continue from 11 am to 6 pm, with a particular focus on children and families.
The weekend will also incorporate several exhibitions already planned across the area, including *L’image élargie*, organised by Image Fantôme at the Boondael Chapel. The exhibition brings together eight artists around an expanded approach to photography, incorporating other media such as weaving, 3D printing, screen printing and risograph printing. There will also be the group exhibition *ALLUVIONS* at the Salle Wiertz.
Ultimately, this edition is about making the Parcours d’Artistes d’Ixelles more than simply a succession of exhibitions.
For three days, 120 artists, 90 venues and an entire municipality will come together around artistic creation.
We want to create a generous, accessible and lively trail, where you can move from a home to a school, from a studio to a performance, from an exhibition to a concert, and above all, where you can meet the people who bring Ixelles’ creative scene to life.
Ixelles-based artists, artists’ studios, local museums, cultural venues, and more...
Commune d'Ixelles - Gemeente Elsene
Ixelles
Exhibitions
Parcours d'artistes d'Ixelles
Sous Influence
Dóra Benyó, Sarah Caillard, Romane Iskaria, Fañch Le Bos, Lancelot Michel, Sofia Pashaei, Pedro Riofrío, Stefanie Salzmann, Denys Shantar et Barbora Žilinskaitė.
VITRINE
Brussels
Exhibitions
Sous Influence
Brussels Art Film Festival (BAFF)
Various locations in the Brussels Capital Region
Brussels
Festival
Brussels Art Film Festival (BAFF)
BAFF- Brussels Art Film Festival
From 10 to 15 November, the Brussels Art Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary with nearly 40 recent documentaries exploring art in all its forms, from dance and music to photography and visual arts. Across Brussels, Mons and Antwerp, discover 13 Belgian films in competition, international premieres, a focus on Lebanon and special events bringing artists, films and audiences together.
BAFF 2026: 25 Years of Cinema, Art and Creativity
From 10 to 15 November 2026, the Brussels Art Film Festival (BAFF) celebrates its 25th edition in Brussels, Antwerp and Mons. The only festival in Belgium dedicated to documentaries about art and artistic creation, the BAFF invites audiences to explore the connections between cinema, music, dance, literature, poetry and the visual arts over six days.
The programme features 38 films, including 13 Belgian films in competition and around 20 Belgian premieres, offering the chance to discover remarkable artists, works and creative worlds. From Marina Abramović to Germaine Acogny, from William S. Burroughs to Barbara Hammer, the festival brings artistic practices, eras and perspectives into dialogue.
For this anniversary edition, collage takes centre stage as its guiding theme: fragments of images, stories and memories come together, intersect and open up new perspectives. This approach runs throughout the programme, from the National Competition to the International Panorama, including screenings that resonate with exhibitions currently on view at Bozar, WIELS and ISELP.
The National Competition brings together 13 films — six feature-length films and seven short films — competing for four awards, including the Art Film Award, exceptionally increased to €2,500 for this anniversary edition. The selected works include Nostalgia for the Future by Brecht Debackere, a tribute to Chris Marker that premiered at Cannes, Donn, le danseur du XXe siècle by Mariano Baez and Florencia Dávila, and Ceci n’est pas un film français by Tom Adjibi.
This year, the festival is strengthening its ties with its sister festival, the BAFF – Beirut Art Film Festival, through News from Lebanon, a programme dedicated to Lebanese cinema. Featuring films from both the past and the present, including two rare works by filmmaker Maroun Baghdadi, who died in 1993, the selection invites audiences to discover different stories and perspectives on Lebanon. This dialogue will continue in December with CINEMAMED.
The festival opens at Palace with Days of Wonder by Karin Pennanen, a film devoted to Finnish artist Markku Pennanen. The closing film will be Souraya, mon amour by Nicolas Khoury, a portrait of actress and dancer Souraya Baghdadi, who will be present for the screening.
Six days of cinema to discover art from a different perspective, meet artists and bring images, ideas and imaginations into circulation.
Full programme and information: www.baffestival.be
Souraya Baghdadi, Sarah Vanagt, Thierry Smits, Pierre(s), and films featuring or exploring the work of Marina Abramović, William S. Burroughs, Germaine Acogny, Jorge Donn, Alain Cavalier, Chris Marker, Frank Zappa…
Various places in Brussels
Brussels
Festival
BAFF- Brussels Art Film Festival
Fifty Lab Music Festival
Fifty Lab is for the curious ones, the people always wondering what’s next?!
Fifty Lab is for the curious ones, the people always wondering what’s next?!
Every year, we bring exciting new artists from Belgium and beyond for live music, DJ sets and big discoveries, in the heart of Brussels. Come get lost somewhere unexpected, and leave with a veryyyyy long new playlist
Various places in Brussels
Brussels
Festival
Fifty Lab Music Festival
MAD Parcours 2026
From Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 November, MAD Brussels presents the third edition of MAD Parcours, the annual event opening up Brussels’ fashion and design scene to the public. Over three days, Brussels-based creatives take over the city centre, transforming the capital into a vibrant creative trail.
This third edition brings together a diverse range of Brussels-based creatives across studios, boutiques, concept stores, galleries, showrooms and other iconic local addresses. Throughout the parcours, participating venues will host encounters with creatives, collection presentations, launches, demonstrations of craftsmanship, installations, as well as a selection of pieces and objects to discover or (re)discover and, for those who wish, to take home. It is an opportunity to step inside places that may be less familiar, meet the people shaping Brussels’ creative scene, and discover creations, collections and objects that reflect the diversity of approaches and expertise found across the city.
To help visitors find their way, MAD Parcours offers several thematic routes, allowing everyone to explore the city according to their interests. Independent fashion, collectible design, contemporary jewellery, contemporary ceramics or new creative addresses: each route highlights a different facet of Brussels’ rich creative scene, while encouraging visitors to venture beyond the usual circuits and rediscover the independent businesses that form part of it. A printed map, available at MAD Brussels and at participating venues, allows everyone to freely create their own itinerary and explore the city at their own pace.
Conceived as a journey of discovery, MAD Parcours offers a different way of experiencing Brussels: by following the thread of its creativity. The event shines a light on both emerging talents and established creatives, celebrates independent businesses and venues, and invites visitors to discover a local scene renowned for its diversity, boldness and spirit of innovation.
This initiative is supported by Entreprendre Bruxelles, Local Guide and the Alderman for Economic Affairs.
MAD Brussels
Brussels
Exhibitions
MAD Parcours 2026
Grrrabuge Natural Wine Festival #4
Salon Grrrabuge
Forest
Festival
Grrrabuge Natural Wine Festival #4
Ars Musica Festival — ARCTIC FEVER
ARCTIC FEVER: Ars Musica 2026 sets its sights on snowy horizons! With a Nordic focus stretching from Iceland to the Baltic countries, the festival brings together two internationally acclaimed featured artists: Norway’s Kristine Tjøgersen and Sweden’s Anders Hillborg. Expect works evoking the beauty of ice, the urgency of its melting, and projects where music, dance, video and even
scent meet.
“There is nothing more beautiful than this Arctic night. It is the land of dreams, the colour of unreality.”
Fridtjof Nansen, Vers le Pôle
Iceland, Scandinavia, Finland or the Baltic states: Ars Musica 2026 ventures into captivating musical landscapes where contemporary creation resonates with vast expanses of ice, rock, flowing water and forests. Featured composers Anders Hillborg (Sweden) and Kristine Tjøgersen (Norway) will guide us through these northern territories, alongside the elemental and spiritual worlds of Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Arvo Pärt and Kaija Saariaho, as well as new works by Helena Tulve, Erkki-Sven Tüür and Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir.
But Arctic Fever is also the fever of a North that is overheating. Glaciers melt and collapse into the sea; landscapes shift into the unknown. This fragile reality has inspired works such as Jean-Luc Fafchamps’ Messe des Glaces and Frédéric Verrières’ Cristallisation. Here, ice fields and the languages of northern peoples acquire a renewed poetic resonance.
< ARCTIC FEVER > Far from the bacterial infection the title may evoke, the fever we celebrate is one of joy… of contagious exhilaration! Hearts race, bodies move, and music becomes a celebration of life itself, from hip-hop dance to contemporary trance, with Régis Campo’s Beatbox Concerto, Bastien David’s Nous sommes Orage, and many more.
50 events / 25 locations / 20 creations / 10 cities. Remaining true to its human-centred vision of music, Ars Musica 2026 brings together some of the most compelling voices in contemporary creation, from Belgium and beyond. Open to everyone – music lovers, adults, students and children alike – the festival is made possible through partnerships across Belgium and internationally, including Ensemble Intercontemporain, Cikada Ensemble, the Belgian National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Chœur de Chambre de Namur and Quatuor Diotima.
Finally, this edition’s subtitle: [We Are Hot]. It expresses our conviction that discovering new artistic creation is exciting and that in a world that is literally heating up, we have to continue to burn with curiosity about the world around us.
In music, perhaps more than anywhere else: let our enthusiasm be a reminder to be aware, and let our awareness be a reminder to always remain enthusiastic.
Ars Musica
Brussels
Festival
Ars Musica Festival — ARCTIC FEVER
Balkan Trafik!
From 19 to 21 November 2026, Balkan Trafik! makes its long-awaited return to Brussels after a one-year break. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the festival is reinventing itself and, for the first time, taking over all the spaces of the Brussels Stock Exchange.
The festival will transform this iconic venue into a true indoor festival, featuring two main stages, a Balkan Village, music lounges, meeting areas and an experience designed throughout the entire building.
True to its mission of building bridges between Belgium and the Balkans, Balkan Trafik! will present a programme that challenges stereotypes: from Roma brass bands to electronic beats, from centuries-old polyphonies to emerging electro scenes, from gypsy punk to gypsy jazz, as well as Balkan food and wines.
This anniversary edition marks a turning point for one of Brussels’ most distinctive festivals: more intimate, more immersive and deliberately limited in capacity. "Festival CASHLESS"
The ticket grants access to the full Balkan Trafik! programme for the specified day, and not to a performance by a specific artist.
The programme and the line-up of the bands are subject to change. The cancellation of an artist’s, a band’s or one of its members’ participation due to circumstances beyond the organiser’s control does not, in itself, give rise to a full or partial refund of the ticket, provided that the day in question goes ahead and its essential features are maintained.
This provision is subject to the mandatory consumer rights provided for by applicable legislation. Any changes will be communicated to the public as soon as possible.
Bourse Brussels
Brussels
Festival
Balkan Trafik!
Courts + Queer Mais Trash 2026 Film Festival
Centre culturel Espace Magh asbl
Brussels
Cinema
Courts + Queer Mais Trash 2026 Film Festival
Shaping the Possible. Pierre Lallemand, designer
The Design Museum Brussels presents a unique exhibition dedicated to Pierre Lallemand, an architect and designer from the contemporary Belgian scene. Through a rich and well-documented exhibition route, visitors are invited to discover more than thirty years of creative work at the crossroads of design and architecture.
Preparatory drawings, models, prototypes, objects, furniture, and experimental pieces mark the exhibition and reveal the singular universe of a creator for whom each project is a form of research in itself. The exhibition highlights a body of work in which technical rigour is in constant dialogue with formal freedom, as well as with a critical reflection on our built environment.
Trained in Brussels at the end of the 1970s, Pierre Lallemand developed an early, highly personal approach to design, shaped by experimentation, attention to detail, and a direct relationship with manufacturing. The first part of the exhibition looks back at his beginnings on the Brussels scene of the 1980s, notably through his first lighting designs shown at Galerie Théorème. These pieces already demonstrate an interest in hybrid objects, oscillating between function and sculptural expression.
The exhibition then explores the international dimension of his career. Visitors discover how his experiences in Italy, within the Milan-based firm BBPR, and later in the United States working with César Pelli, profoundly influenced his way of thinking about space, from furniture to architecture, from object to city. This global vision is reflected in the wide variety of projects presented: bicycles, sailboats, sculptures, furniture and architectural studies.
Throughout the exhibition, a coherent and committed approach emerges, in which each work is conceived as an act of visual thinking. For Pierre Lallemand, designing means questioning form, use, and the poetic dimension of the objects that surround us.
The Design Museum Brussels offers an immersive journey into a body of work in constant motion, shaped by the technical, urban, and cultural challenges of our time, and invites visitors to (re)discover design as an open, experimental field, deeply connected to the way we inhabit the world.
Design Museum Brussels
Laeken
Exhibitions
Shaping the Possible. Pierre Lallemand, designer
Listen Festival 2026
Listen festival 2026: the electronic music festival that transforms Brussels into one massive dancefloor is back for its 10th anniversary with a new formula with over 24 hours of music in 15 locations.
LISTEN FESTIVAL 2026: THE ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL THAT TRANSFORMS BRUSSELS INTO ONE MASSIVE DANCEFLOOR IS BACK FOR ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH A NEW FORMULA WITH OVER 24 HOURS OF MUSIC IN 15 LOCATIONS.
On Saturday the 21st of November Listen Festival takes over Brussels for its 10th anniversary edition. The festival returns with an all new 24 hour formula with 1 fairly priced ticket giving access to an action packed programme stretched across 15 unique locations. Among many other iconic locations, the festival is turning the main stations of Brussels - North Station, Central Station, Congrès Station and Brussel Midi Station - into one big dancefloor this year.
With its finger strongly on the pulse of Brussel’s unique music eco-system, local talent and international headliners once again come together for an eclectic musical ride. With international artists like Tiga, Avalon Emerson, Dillinja, Mala, Kirollus, Miss Bashful, MCR-T, Francesco Del Garda B2B Virgina and many more stacked against local legends like Lefto Early Bird, FAISAL, Bibi Seck, Nosedrip, Lolalita & Brennt 'Live', DJ Rino, KŌMA, LAURAVIOLI, Listen Festival is once again connecting the dots regardless of musical style and orientation.
Tiga, Avalon Emerson, Dillinja, Mala, Kirollus, Miss Bashful, MCR-T, Francesco Del Garda B2B Virgina and many more stacked against local legends like Lefto Early Bird, FAISAL, Bibi Seck, Nosedrip, Lolalita & Brennt 'Live', DJ Rino, KŌMA, LAURAVIOLI & many more.
Listen
Brussels
Clubbing
Listen Festival 2026
Coudenberg Sound Box Fest 2026
The Coudenberg Palace presents the sixth edition of Coudenberg Sound Box Fest, an eclectic festival where music meets history.
COUDENBERG SOUND BOX FEST 2026
reConciliations: War & Peace
Step beneath the streets of Brussels for a truly unforgettable experience! Celebrating its sixth edition in autumn 2026, the Coudenberg Sound Box Fest (CSBF) presents a bold new edition titled reConciliations: War & Peace. True to the festival's DNA and Brussels' eclectic arts scene, early music remains at the core, yet — in line with artistic director Matteo Gemolo's philosophy — this is music from the past, but not of the past. Through our signature double-concert format set against the breathtaking underground palace ruins, historical sounds spark thrilling dialogues with jazz, electronic beats, and physical theatre, exploring the journey from never-ending conflict to utopian harmony.
The dynamic line-up for this year's edition strives to bring history back to life. Feel the compelling clash of baroque elegance and raw energy as the InAlto ensemble's sacred 17th-century repertoire meets the immersive physical theatre of AkroPercu (22th of November). Explore poignant tales of memory, exile, and defiance with Ensemble Matica de Flor (winner of the first edition of our Next/Gen competition for young talents in 2025) and Trio Satellite, who bridge ancient Sephardic traditions with repressed 20th-century voices (29th of November). Expanding this cultural dialogue, let a powerful East-meets-West crossover transport you, as the Belgian-Syrian oud master Elias Bachoura shares the stage with the explosive jazz-electronic duo BeraadGeslagen, weaving a musical narrative which proves peace and cultural dialogue are always possible (13th of December).
This edition also breaks new ground with an exclusive co-production with Bozar (6th of December), guiding audiences from subterranean archaeological vaults with ClubMédiéval to the heights of the Church of St. Jacques sur Coudenberg / St. Jacob op Koudenberg with vocal ensemble Dionysos Now!
Beyond these site-specific performances, the festival hosts the second edition of the CSBF Next/Gen competition (17 – 18th of November) and engaging public talks in collaboration with ULB and IHEB, bridging historical music and modern society. Proudly recognized as a member of REMA since 2025, the festival continues to celebrate Brussels as a thriving crossroads for artistic innovation, where heritage meets cutting-edge creation.
With the support of our partners:
urban.brussels
Ville de Bruxelles / Stad Brussel
Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie
COCOF
Play Right
Loterie Nationale Loterij
Sabam
Musiq3
Bozar
ULB
IHEB
JM Wallonie BXL
La Classica
Prométhéa
visit.brussels
The European Festivals Association
REMA
Belarts
Early Music & Beyond
Sunday the 22th of November: InAlto + AkroPercu
Synday the 29th of Novembre: Ensemble Matica de Flor + Trio Satellite
Sunday the 6th of December: ClubMediéval + Dionysos Now!
Sunday the 13th of December: Elias Bachoura + BeraadGeslagen
Palais du Coudenbergpaleis
Brussels
Festival
Coudenberg Sound Box Fest 2026
ArtContest 22nd Edition
ATOMA Art Center
Forest
Exhibitions
ArtContest 22nd Edition
Festival Cinemamed 2026
Cinemamed Festival is back from 26 November to 4 December at the Palace Cinema and the Aventure Cinema! Some screenings will also take place at Espace Magh, Cinema Galeries, Bozar, W:Halll, RITCS and Cinematek!
The Cinemamed festival (Brussels Mediterranean Film Festival) is back from 26 November to 4 December at the Palace Cinema and the Aventure Cinema! Some screenings will also take place at Espace Magh, Cinema Galeries, Bozar, W:Halll, RITCS and Cinematek! This is the event of the year to discover a selection of quality films reflecting the social and cultural realities of the entire Mediterranean basin. On the programme for this 26th edition: powerful documentaries, original fiction films, short films, previews, concerts and a multitude of events that create the warm and friendly atmosphere of Cinemamed! Since 1989, Cinemamed has been promoting multiculturalism and highlighting socially engaged themes. It is also a forum for reflection and dialogue between people and cultures. Come and talk to filmmakers, film crews, association members and specialists at the many meetings and debates organised after the screenings.
Cinéma Palace
Brussels
Festival
Festival Cinemamed 2026
Kanal - Opening weekend
Kanal opens 28 & 29.11.2026
Kanal opens! For a whole weekend, wall-to-wall, non-stop. With ten exhibitions and a host of live
performances and opening rituals, concerts and DJ sets, films and installations, workshops for
kids and families, as well as explorations and activations of the new building and its surroundings.
All free of charge.
Kanal - Centre Pompidou
Brussels
Festival
Kanal - Opening weekend
Gudula26
The Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula: 800 years of history in the beating heart of Brussels
The Gothic Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula celebrates its 800th anniversary (dec 25 - dec 26).
To commemorate this significant milestone, a range of spiritual and cultural activities will be organized.
Cathedrale Saints Michel et Gudule
Brussels
Festival
Gudula26
