BOZAR’s contribution to the array of museum exhibitions celebrating the centenary of Surrealism is: Surrealism in Belgium: It's No Laughing Matter. The show is composed of a stellar collection of works of art brought together for the occasion including works by Paul Nougé, René Magritte, Jane Graverol, Marcel Mariën, Rachel Baes, Leo Dohmen, Paul D…

To celebrate the centenary of Surrealism, there have been a number of special exhibitions in various museums in Brussels. One of them is coming to a close on June 2nd so if you haven't been to the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) to see their fascinating show James Ensor: Inspired by Brussels, do yourself a favour and go before it's too late. Daan va…

There are over 80 artisanal bakeries in Brussels but it's not always easy to find them. Luckily for us, journalist Géry Brusselmans created the website Tartine et Boterham which supplies all the information you need to be able to eat the best bread and pastries available; He also puts out a guide and the 2024 issue came out recently. We spoke with …

There's a new museum in downtown Brussels: The Museum of Infinite Realities (MOIR) in which the visitor calls a lot of the shots; so it's immersive but also reactive. Co-founder Kristian Gilroy explains how visitors become the hero of their own visit. https://www.museumofinfiniterealities.com/enOleh podcasts.brussels

The role of the arts during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), which devastated large parts of Europe, lies at the heart of an international exhibition at the House of European History. The exhibition Bellum et Artes (War and Art) demonstrates how the warring parties used the arts as a propaganda tool and to show off their power. In the midst of a …

At the crossroad of art, curatorial practices, architecture, graphics, typography and cartography, the Belgian pavilion at the Venice Biennale features UNESCO recognised giants from Belgium, Northern France and Spain, 15 feet tall and made of wicker, fabric and papier-mâché, dancing and twirling thanks to dedicated giant carriers. The collective Th…

11 days, 3 competitions, 48 programs, 300 films, 76 screenings and much more! It's the 27th edition of the Brussels Short Film Festival (BSFF) and it's back with much loved categories such as the all night session, the very very short shorts and the open air sessions, as well as some new categories. Co-founder and director Céline Masset brings us u…

Have you ever hungered for a sensory experience that involves the enjoyment of artistic, intellectual, emotional and culinary experiences all at once? Check out Les Passagées, located in a 125 year old house built on a leafy square in Saint-Gilles by an architect as his home, which offers such an exploration in which the audience, artists and chefs…

There's a new cozy, convivial club in the cellars of the Sheds at Tour et Taxis where one can get a bite to eat, have a drink and enjoy live music ranging from jazz, manouche and Brazilian, to classical. Founder Martine Renwart tells us what to expect. https://www.lebaixu.com/en Music courtesy of Henri Greindl…

Brussels' native daughter Diane von Furstenberg has been back in her hometown for a number of different events in the last few months. She was honored by the city and there was a retrospective of her career at the Fashion & Lace Museum. Most recently she inaugurated a new costume for the Manneken Pis; a pint-sized version of her iconic wrap dress c…

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the birth of Belgian artist Jean-Michel Folon and the 100th year of Surrealism, the Fondation Folon is highlighting his many facets by mounting four exhibitions of his work in Brussels entitled Folon a Journey in Brussels. Pauline Loumaye of the foundation gives us a rundown of everything that is taking place.ht…

Bicycle use in Brussels has skyrocketed over the past few years with more and more people using bikes for daily commuting as well as recreation. As spring approaches and bike use increases even more due to the season, Adrien Guilmin, founder of Ermès Bike Services, gives us a rundown of how things have changed and what the current bike users need i…

Shelley Read, the author of ‘Go As a River’ took the time to chat from Colorado in the US about her new book. What is our connection to where we come from? And what is Colorado based author Shelley Read's connection to Belgium?Oleh podcasts.brussels

Internationally celebrated Brussels musical ensemble Ictus is presenting Liquide Room No 10 at the Maison de la Poste at Tour & Taxis on 17 March. This 10th edition, subtitled ‘Robert Ashley And The Theatre Of Voices’, is part of Klarafestival, an annual classical and new music cultural event. The name Liquid Room highlights the nature of the show …

The 8th edition of BANAD; the Brussels Art Nouveau Art Deco Festival adds a touch of Modernism to its offer. Co Director of Explore Brussels, Amaury De Smet tells us what to expect. https://www.banad.brussels/en/ March 9th to 24th.Oleh podcasts.brussels

Wilfrid Lupano and Mayana Itoïz bring us Le Loup en Slip (The Wolf in Underpants), a comic book series that combines philosophy, humor, and raises issues about societal values, all in a format that entertains children as it asks questions. There's a show on at the Comic Arts Museum where you can discover this character who is neither big nor bad bu…

For the 43rd edition of Anima, the venerable animated film festival, we have a world upside down. Instead of the event inspiring the makeup of the poster, it's the poster that inspired the theme of the event. The result is a perfect match: animation and science fiction. Co-director Karin Vandenrydt tells us everything. Anima Festival 23 February - …

Venerable theatre Les Tanneurs, a cultural touchstone of the Marolles neighborhood, just upped their conviviality factor with a brand new foyer and restaurant. Artistic Director Alexandre Caputo explains how the theatre going experience is about more than just seeing a performance and invites us all to the big opening bash on February 23rd. www.les…

After a successful first edition last year, Sculptura, the festival of sculptures and installations is back and it's bigger. Sculptura #2 is taking place in the Gare Maritime at Tours et Taxis like last year, but this year it's also in the new gardens outside the Gare Maritime as well as in the Royal Depot. 38 artists from over 20 countries are par…

Venerable art fair BRAFA is back and this year the guest of honor is the Paul Delvaux Foundation as Brussels celebrates 100 years of Surrealism. We spoke with foundation Director Camille Brasseur and foundation President Pierre Alexis Hocke about what they are bringing to the fair. Through February 4th https://www.brafa.art/en…

Mons is launching a festival of lights, 26 installations over a 3 KM circuit during two four day weekends. To join the yearlong and country-wide celebrations of one hundred years of Surrealism the theme of this first edition is Surrealism and Poetry. We spoke with Natacha Vandenberghe, Director of the department of Culture and Tourism of the City o…

“Small is beautiful, Miniature Art” is the first international museum entirely devoted to miniature art, compiling the work of 18 international miniature artists.and presenting their work for us to enjoy the magical and unusual worlds created. We spoke with show producer Serge Victoria and with Derrick Lin, one of the artists. https://smallisbeauti…

The Bellevue Museum and the King Baudouin Fondation are commemorating the first scientific expedition to Antarctica. It's been 125 years since the Belgian expedition on the vessel Belgica was the first to collect data and spend the winter in Antarctica. The exhibition entitled The End of the World! will cover the historic voyage, the present day si…

Huberty & Breyne, an art gallery with two locations in Paris and one in Brussels specialises in comic book art and more particularly they aim to highlight the connections that can occur between comic art and contemporary art. For the most part their shows are commercial endeavours but this holiday season they are offering us a splendid gift; to cel…

The 2024 edition of the Brussels Cultural Hotlist 100 is out and Guy de Bellefroid, director of the Brussels Foundation for the Arts, tells us why this little book is essential to navigate the myriad cultural events that take place in Brussels all through the year.Oleh podcasts.brussels

To celebrate 130 of Art Nouveau the Horta Museum has joined the Ixelles Museum and the Museum of Fashion and Lace to put on Art Nouveau: From Dresses to Paintings. The Fashion Museum has lent dresses and fans, and the Ixelles Museum has lent paintings from its collection. The superb interiors of the Horta Museum are the scene which is set with the …

Traditional Belgian street food made with traditional recipes using all locally sourced ingredients served in an iconic building and accompanied by concerts is the concept behind MAYO which has just opened in the Halles Saint-Géry. To celebrate the opening, there is a show devoted to the Belgian frite which is exposed on the exterior walls of the H…

The Royal Museum of Art and History is ending its participation in Brussels Year of Art Nouveau 2023 with: Josef Hoffman: Under Beauty's Spell, a show that reveals the Austrian architect's sixty years of forward thinking design. His greatest project is the Palais Stoclet, one of the most iconic Art Nouveau buildings in Brussels. Curator Adriàn Prie…

After a very successful run in Paris, TINTIN The Immersive adventure has made its way to Brussels at Tour & Taxis.. Grégoire Meunier, director of Culturespaces which developed the show with Tintinimaginatio, tells us what we can expect. https://tintin-immersiveadventure.com/enOleh podcasts.brussels

It's the eleventh edition of the Semaine de la Frite, a week during which Belgium celebrates its peerless chips and the over five thousand chip shops all across the kingdom. BPost is selling a special edition of five stamps which come on a sheet that, when folded, becomes a chip truck, each stamp in the image of a different historic chip shop. Ther…

Hangar is presenting Close Enough 12 Women Photographers of Magnum, an exhibition celebrating the 75 years of Magnum Photo. Global Cultural Director for Magnum, Andréa Holzheer, explains how Magnum was revolutionary when it was founded, and gives us the details on the all woman show. hangar.art Through mid December 2023…

We took a trip to KU Leuven and their Literature department and spoke to Professor Elke D'hoker asking her, 'what is a short story?'Oleh podcasts.brussels

The exhibition Visions of tomorrow & Living together shows the work of the 10 winners of the Comic Art Europe project. These authors present their own "visions of tomorrow" and, together, question our current world. Along with the Lyon BD Organisation (France), the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (UK), and the Escola Joso de Comics (Spain), …

It seems like every day there is a new temporary or permanent attraction available at Tours & Taxis. The latest temporary event is Bubble Planet which epitomizes "fun for the whole family." Comprising eleven distinct environments including the jaw-dropping infinity Room and the serene Cloud Room, the exhibition is open to everyone from babes-in-arm…

Canadian phhotographer Ève Cadieux turned her father's enthusiasm for the 1967 Montreal World's Fair into a photographic quest that took her around the world to see what was left of the future at many world's fair sites. A selection of her big format, striking, backlit photos of the various fairs take over both levels of one of the Atomium's sphere…

If you thought that the 19th century architectural movements in Brussels were limited to the Neo-classical and Art Nouveau, the second edition of the Brussels Biennale of Eclectic Architecture (BBEA) is here to put you straight. From the Palace of Justice and the Bourse to various churches, industrial buildings and countless private homes the Eclec…

Europalia is a biennial event celebrating a European country. This year it's Georgia's turn. Dirk Vermaelen, Europalia Artistic director, tells us what to expect. October 2023 - January 2024 https://europalia.eu/enOleh podcasts.brussels

We talk to Joanna Booth an Editor, Academic, Journalist and long term writer from Bristol who takes us through the leaps and bounds, needed to get to grips with the short story.Oleh podcasts.brussels

In this episode we continue our query - What is a Writers Festival? With none other than Mitchell Kaplan of Books and Books and the Miami Book Fair in conversation with Alia Papageorgiou.Oleh podcasts.brussels

Brussels' PARCOURS Street Art is celebrating its tenth anniversary with nine new murals and three weeks of tours (self or guided), an exhibition of the work of hip hop photographers Martha Cooper and NIka Kramer, documentary screenings and a major closing party. Thierry Dubois from All About Things gives us the details and explains the philosophy b…

The Eat Festival will take place in the Gare Maritime at Tour & Taxis from September 28th to October 1st while the BXLBeerFest will be taking place next door in Shed 1 at Tours & Taxis September 30th & October 1st. So they decided to work together; giving the visitor the opportunity to mix and match food and beer. Cédric Dautinger of the Beer Fest …

Farm Prod, the legendary Belgian street art collective that has enchanted people around the world with their wide array of mural styles is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a free 1500 sq. meter exhibition at La Vallée, the vintage industrial space which is now an eclectic cultural venue. The show is a magnificent explosion of creativity and hu…

Downtown Brussels is transformed into Cinema City as the sixth edition of the Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) gets underway from 27 June to 5 July. Setting up its big top on Place de Brouckère, the festival village serves as a hub for the annual cinema event. Festival goers can congregate and meet invited festival guests, enjoy a drink…

Jeanfrançois Prins, a jazz musician, composer, and the director of GAM Records, an independent record company which specializes in Jazz (but not only) is the third generation of the family that has produced and promoted jazz and music in all its facets in Brussels since the 1940’s. He recounts for us this quintessential Belgian story. https://www.g…

Ohme presents its new artistic-scientific exhibition, Tell All The Truth But Tell It Slant at Face B. This intriguing and fascinating collective exhibition explores the concept of truth and the subject of the construction of knowledge, through the relationships between art, technology, science and society. Curator Camilla Colombo explains everythin…

The current show Brussels Queer Graphics at Design Museum Brussels looks at 70 years of gay life and activism through its ever changing graphic expression and presence. ULB Professor David Paternotte takes us through the history and the often serendipitous nature of the preservation process of this rich collection of documents. Through 5 November 2…

Do you want to discover Brussels from a bike but don't know which streets to take? Pro Velo has just what you need: a biking guide that contains 12 different routes throughout the region. Author and Pro Velo member Thomas Detry tells us what we will find in his book. www.provelo.beOleh podcasts.brussels

Tour & Taxis is evolving into a nexus of great things to do; fun, interesting, entertaining and culinary. The latest permanent addition is the World of Mind (WOM). Raphaël Remiche, Director of Tempora, unveils for us this truly mind blowing attraction. https://worldofmind.be/en/Oleh podcasts.brussels

The Brussels Comics Art Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Brussels with over 250,000 visitors a year. Marie Neefs of the institution's communications team explains how the combination of the comic arts, the special building that houses the collection and the high number of temporary exhibitions makes this a blockbuster attraction. ww…

The House of European History's new exhibition Throwaway - The History of a Contemporary Crisis, is a detailed look at the history of rubbish and how attitudes towards waste, what constitutes waste and what to do about it have changed. Curator Kieran Burns explains. Through 14 January 2024. historia-europa.ep.eu…