ANTE Festival
ANTE Festival 2026: An Architectural Journey through the “Long 19th Century”.
Explore.Brussels gives you a rare opportunity to (re)discover historical and architectural gems on 03-04 and 10-11 October 2026 in the Brussels Capital Region.
ANTE Festival 2026: An Architectural Journey through the “Long 19th Century”.
Often overshadowed by the international fame of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the architecture of the 'long 19th century' is nevertheless one of the building blocks of the urban landscape of today’s Brussels. As a counterpart to its BANAD Festival, Explore.Brussels is organising the second edition of the ANTE Festival this autumn and invites you to rediscover the period from 1780 to 1920, over a century of evolution, transition, division, and technical and stylistic experimentation.
An invitation to delve into ever-evolving styles — from Neoclassicism to Eclecticism — the ANTE Festival sets out to reveal the roots of Modernity and the incredible richness of the heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region.
On the agenda: guided tours of interiors normally closed to the public, walking or bike tours on a theme, lectures, visits adapted to people with various disabilities or autism spectrum disorders, people attending literacy classes, workshops and activities for schools and families, etc.
Explore.Brussels gives you a rare opportunity to (re)discover historical and architectural gems on 03-04 and 10-11 October 2026 in the Communes of Brussels, Etterbeek, Forest, Ixelles, Laeken, St. Gilles, St. Josse-ten-Noode, Schaerbeek and Woluwe St. Pierre.
Various locations in the Brussels Capital Region
Brussels
Festival
ANTE Festival
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
MashaaDunya Festival
Various locations in Brussels
Brussels
Festival
MashaaDunya Festival
Parcours d'Artistes d'Etterbeek 2026
Initiated by Mr Rachid Madrane, Alderman for Culture, the Etterbeek Artists’ Trail 2026 transforms the municipality into a vibrant art gallery. More than 320 artists take over studios, cultural venues and public spaces for three days of art, discovery and encounters, with the artists themselves as your guides.
Initiated by Mr Rachid Madrane, Alderman for Culture, the Etterbeek Artists’ Trail 2026 invites the public to discover the richness and diversity of artistic creation at the heart of the municipality.
For one weekend, Etterbeek transforms into a vibrant art gallery, with the artists as your guides. Studios, private homes, cultural venues, shops and municipal spaces open their doors, becoming places for exhibitions, encounters and exchange.
This new edition brings together more than 320 artists from a wide range of disciplines: painting, sculpture, photography, illustration, digital art and installations, as well as music, theatre and stand-up comedy.
Throughout the trail, visitors are invited to step inside, discover unexpected places, meet the artists and explore their creative worlds. More than an exhibition, the Artists’ Trail is a celebration of encounter, discovery and sharing, bringing art to life throughout the streets and neighbourhoods of Etterbeek.
Service Culture Francophone d'Etterbeek
Etterbeek
Exhibitions
Parcours d'Artistes d'Etterbeek 2026
In.out.sider Festival 2026 - 5th edition
IN.OUT.SIDER is an alternative music festival with a diverse lineup that brings together various styles, art forms and voices to celebrate raw artistic creativity.
IN.OUT.SIDER is an alternative music festival with a diverse lineup that brings together various styles, art forms and voices to celebrate raw artistic creativity.
THURSDAY 08/10
Cinéma Aventure, 15 rue des fripiers
18.00 | Screening of “Rester Vivant” by Romain Multier and Colin Péguillan followed by a discussion on ways of representing mental health on screen, with Romain Multier and Christine François.
FRIDAY 09/10
LaVallée
18.00 | DJ Babou Alice x Mikamayonnaise (dj set)
19.00 | Les Ami.e.s de la Nature
20.00 | Bernardino Femminielli (live)
21.00 | Badaboum (live)
22.00 | Ultimate Thunder (live)
23.00 | Wodiwo (live)
00.00 | Caillou x Marion Laser x Lazlo Parks (dj set)
SATURDAY 10/10
LaVallée
16.00 | Kids Afternoon (kids workshop by Fracasse + many surprises)
18.00 | Mü (live)
19.00 | Splitter Splatter (performance)
19.30 | Xaxalxe (live)
20.30 | Sainte-Lucie (live)
21.30 | Splitter Splatter (performance)
22.00 | Oonagh Haines (live)
23.00 | Psychotic Monks x Futur Composé (live)
00.00 | Third Wave (live)
01.00 | DJ Glutron (dj set)
02.00 | LaCloture (dj set)
Video exhibition
Art installations by Les Ateliers Indigos
______________________________________________
www.inoutsiderfestival.com
“Rester Vivant” by Romain Multier and Colin Péguillan
Christine François.
DJ Babou Alice x Mikamayonnaise
Badaboum
Ultimate Thunder
Oonagh Haines
Wodiwo
Caillou x Marion Laser x Lazlo Parks
Fracasse
Mü
Splitter Splatter
Xaxalxe
Foudre Rockeur
Sainte Lucie
Splitter Splatter
Psychotic Monks x Futur Composé
Third Wave
DJ Glutron
LaCloture
Les Ateliers Indigos
LaVallée
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Festival
In.out.sider Festival 2026 - 5th edition
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.
Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar
Brussels
Exhibitions
House of Memory / بيت الذاكرة by Basil Al-Rawi
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.
Brussels Oktoberfest
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.
Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar
Brussels
Exhibitions
Edith Dekyndt x Cristobal Balenciaga
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
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
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
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
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
