Brussels’ vibrant contemporary art scene comes together again this September for the first full edition of RendezVous – Brussels Art Week.
After a successful soft launch in 2024, RendezVous now returns with a complete programme celebrating the diversity and richness of Brussels’ artistic ecosystem.
From 4–7 September, galleries, institutions, artist-run spaces, and collective studios across the city will synchronise their openings and programmes, marking the moment when the city’s creative energy surges back into motion after the summer break.
As a new feature, RendezVous will feature a central meeting point – the Salon de RendezVous – where an immersive in-situ installation by British artist Zoe Williams will take the form of a bar while providing the backdrop for a three-day programme of panel discussions, performances and listening moments with local DJs and producers.
Exclusive studio visits will also be organised and on the occasion of the Brussels Art Week, RendezVous will launch the Brussels City Guide for Art Lovers, published by MER, together with Glean Art Magazine.
Brussels has become a key player in Europe’s contemporary art network. International galleries such as Galerie Conradi, Eric Mouchet, and Galerie Christophe Gaillard have recently opened spaces here, joining the likes of Mendes Wood DM and Almine Rech—some opting for less expected neighbourhoods like downtown (Yser) and Forest near WIELS.
With Belgium boasting one of the highest numbers of collectors per capita globally, many of whom are internationally recognised for their engagement with contemporary art, the city continues to offer fertile ground for new initiatives to take root.
In addition to a dynamic commercial scene, Brussels is home to major institutions including WIELS, Bozar, La Loge, De Centrale, and the soon-to-open KANAL Centre Pompidou, alongside private foundations like Fondation CAB, Fondation Boghossian, and the Van Buuren Museum.
Artist-run spaces and nomadic platforms—ranging from long-established players like Etablissement d’en Face and NICC to newer initiatives such as Celador, Affiliate, and By Veduta—further reflect the scene’s hybrid and layered offer.
Thanks to relatively affordable living costs and its culturally diverse identity, Brussels attracts a highly international artist community.
Shared studio spaces andresidencies such as Level Five, SB34, KultXL, and the WIELS Residency play a crucial role in anchoring this ecosystem.
RendezVous seeks to merge these diverse forces into one shared moment of heightened visibility—both locally and internationally.
Across three focus days, the programme synchronises openings and events in different city districts, encouraging visitors to explore the full scope of Brussels’ artistic geography:
- 5 Sept – Downtown: Centre Brussels & Molenbeek
- 6 Sept – Midtown: Sablon, St. Gilles & Forest
- 7 Sept – Uptown: Ixelles
The heart of this year’s edition is the Salon de RendezVous, an immersive in-situ installation by Marseille-based British artist Zoe Williams. Her multidisciplinary practice—spanning ceramics, moving image, drawing, and performance—constructs playful, seductive environments that explore power, excess, desire, and consumption. Conceived as a performative bar with artist cocktails, the installation also serves as the stage for a three-day discursive programme featuring panel talks, performances, and listening sessions with local DJs and producers.
Together with Glean Art Magazine, RendezVous will also launch the Brussels City Guide for Art Lovers, published by MER. Structured in five walks, the guide offers insider tips on where artists hang out, cultural venues on and off the beaten path, independent bookstores, bars, restaurants, and nightlife spots—alongside curated public art recommendations from Brussels-based art professionals.
In collaboration with galleries and above-mentioned shared studio spaces, RendezVous facilitates exclusive access to artists’ studios throughout the city by registration—offering a rare glimpse into the places where Brussels-based artists live and work.
Schedule Overview
- 3.09 — 7PM: Preview of Salon de RendezVous with Zoe Williams
- 4.09 — 5–9PM: Collective Opening Night at all participating galleries
- 5–7.09 — 11AM–7PM: Participating venues open for visits
- 5.09: Downtown Focus Day
- 6.09: Midtown Focus Day
- 7.09: Uptown Focus Day
