Photo by Bao Menglong on Unsplash
It’s been compared to a cultural playlist on shuffle for a capital city that never hits pause.
So, if you are craving a bit of light this November you might like to follow the lights of 13 cafe-theatres during Bruxelles en Scènes, which bring laughter, jazz, song and conviviality back under the spotlight with 100 shows, along with a pass to flit freely from one to the next.
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, meantime, invite you to step away from tired cliches with Art x Gender, a critical mirror sweeping through five centuries of art and questioning couples, bodies and assigned roles.
Now in November, Listen Festival takes over iconic venues for six days of concerts, clubbing, talks and workshops. From techno to hyperpop, 179 artists sketch the capital’s most diverse musical map.
Cinemamed, the festival that’s all sun, sea, and cinema, brings a little warmth to the capital this November. It rolls out a vibrant selection of sunny, socially engaged fiction and documentaries telling the story of the Mediterranean basin.
Elsewhere, the Export/Import Festival celebrates imagination, inviting 24 Belgian and international creations, be it theatre, dance, circus or puppetry, to converse freely, with no boundaries of age or language.
A true hub for emerging talent, Fifty Lab gathers both Belgian and international artists on Brussels’ stages, fueling the passions of indie rock, experimental electro, hip-hop, soul and pop enthusiasts.
The Brussels Ass Book Fair, meantime, thrusts publishing into the limelight, proudly showcasing fanzines, art books and queer creations that break all the old-school rules.
With MAD Parcours, discover local fashion and design creators who open up their studios, boutiques and showrooms in the city centre, come away with some real finds.
The Brussels Art Film Festival breaks art out from its frame, bringing Belgian and international documentaries to the big screen and offering fresh perspectives on the creative process.
The city this autumn also hosts exhibitions that transport you back in time.
These include “1925: Fashion in the Age of Art Deco” which showcases the feminine silhouette of the 1920s and 30s, dresses, accessories and Art Deco elegance revive the spirit of an era brimming with reinvention and emancipation.
A neo-Renaissance and Art Deco mansion in Saint-Gilles, Pelgrim House hosts Pelgrim’s Spirit, the first exhibition of its new cultural chapter.
Métal Hurlant. Immediate Boarding revisits fifty years of the cult magazine that revolutionised the world of comics, fuelled by radical graphic freedom and boundless imagination.
With The Last Days of Pompeii, the mythical city comes to life in an immersive exhibition blending artefacts, the tragic eruption, VR and 360° projections. Explore it at the new Terminal 1 space at Brussels Expo.
The Mont des Arts carillon is ringing out once again: its twelve emblematic figures from Brussels’ history, now restored and updated, revolve once more to the sound of twenty-four bells and traditional folk tunes.
Brussels has both taste and heart!
On 22 November, residents come together for Brussel Helpt, with hundreds of volunteers whipping up and sharing spaghetti bolognese, veggie or halal, to support vulnerable people across the city.
Grabuge 2025 uncorks the future of wine, serving up natural tastings, thought-provoking talks and concerts.
The Sablon Nocturnes are back: chocolatiers, wine merchants, restaurants and shops stay open late to offer exceptional evenings where fine food and relaxed wandering let you forget all about the time.
