Brussels in English

As part of its series Art Nouveau versus Art Deco which examines Belgian design from 1850 to 1950 the Horta Museum is showing 31 chairs that demonstrate the many currents that inhabited Belgian design. It was much more than just Art Nouveau and Art Deco standing monolithic. The chairs on display show us how that century from the mid 19th to the mid 20th were years of constant reimagining. Museum Director Benjamin Zurstratten breaks it down for us. hortamuseum.beThrough 10/01/27

Home delivered meals are a growing sector. There's a newcomer called Tanto that is purely local with Brussels' chefs cooking and ingredients that are grown or raised within 100 kms of the city. Founder Thomas Biessaux gives us the details.tantocuisine.com

La Maison des Arts in Schaerbeek is a truly hidden, hidden Brussels gem.A short dark alley  takes you just steps from dusty Chaussée de Haecht and suddenly you are in a bucolic scene, a two hundred year old manor house with a lovely garden.. The manor house is celebrating its bicentenary with two shows (Au jardin & Habiter la Maison) featuring sixteen artists. In addition to the shows there is a complete schedule of family activities and could there be a murder mystery afoot with corpses popping up in the parlor and the library? We spoke with Belgo-Japanese artist Michiko Van de Velde about her contribution to the shows. Free entry.Through 15/11/26lamaisondesarts.be

Home to citizens of over 184 countries, Brussels is replete with expats creating a deep cosmopolitan aspect to life here. We spoke with Alexandra Templeton, who has been in Brussels for 7 years, about her expat journey.www.allytfit.com

Almost 100 years ago, prolific Belgian architect Joseph Diongre designed a modernist masterpiece, a house known as the Withuis for its white façade. He designed everything from the architecture to the furniture and even the garden . The same family occupied the house for 91 years and the new owner has had the house completely restored. Until November 22 the public will be able to see it both inside and out during guided tours organized by Arkadia. Restoration architect Frédéric Goeminne tells us what was involved.www.arkadia.be 

If you like art and nature and want to take advantage of the lovely autumn weather this is the perfect day long getaway. Butor is a new biennial outdoor art event taking place in the village of Molenbaix near Tournai. A twenty acre property with spectacular views is the location for over two dozen artworks from as many artists that examine or question the relationships between art and nature. Armed with a map the visitor follows a path through fields, a chapel, a barn, a pond, a church and even a football pitch. If you're feeling peckish after the 3 kilometre trail there is a starred restaurant on site.Through 4 October 2026butor-biennale.be

The annual comic book festival is one of the most popular events in Brussels so the announcement that it would not be held this year was very bad news. For many years in the Royal Park and then in the Gare Maritime at Tour & Taxis the festival drew people from far and wide, but now it was off the schedule. Stepping in to save the day, Didier Wauters, Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs for the City of Brussels pulled together a coalition of the very willing. The festival will take place after all, but the location has changed; it's in the central city in and around the Bourse. Mr. Wauters gives us the details.https://www.lepietonnier.com/en/bd-comic-strip-festival/

It's the ninth edition of the Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) and team member Julie Van Houtte tells us about the wide-reaching, incredibly diverse, eclectic roster of films that will be screened over ten days for your pleasure. Through 12 September.briff.be/en/

Are you an artist who would appreciate exposure of your work to thousands of people at no expense to you or them? If so, Carte de Visite is for you. Every  year, the City of Brussels takes over the sleek, modernist Vanderborght  building downtown and turns it into a showcase for Brussels-based artists. If you would like to participate, go to their website and fill out the form. It's in French or Dutch - or use Google Translate!David Elchardus of the Department of Culture of the City of Brussels, shares some info with us.cartedevisite.brussels

 From 24 to 28 June Various Voices, the European festival of LGBTQI+ choirs, will take place in Brussels. Over 350 concerts are scheduled over five days in various landmark venues. Organizer Walid Aissaoui gives us an overview of the very full program.https://various-voices.be/