Brussels' 10 Best Summer Courses and Workshops

Are you like the 53% of Belgians who plan on sticking around Brussels this summer? Why not take part in one of the many summer courses or workshops taking place in and around the European capital?

The Bulletin has hand-picked a variety of Brussels’ most unique and surely fun summer courses and workshops for adults to participate in this summer; just enough to hold you over until your weekly yoga sessions and French classes take up again in September.

1. Creative arts workshops – Les Ateliers Malou, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert

Les Ateliers Malou proposes a variety of weeklong creative arts workshops all summer– everything from photography and oil painting to live model drawing and video production. The courses are aimed at adults and adolescents, which means you could also bring your teenage son or daughter along (12 years and up). The courses are given in French, but check with the association if you are interested in signing up; the teachers are often willing to translate to English.

Workshops are full-time (9.00-16.00) or part-time (9.00-12.00 or 13.00-16.00). They are held weekly from June 30 to July 18

2. Contemporary art workshops - Brussels Royal Academy for Fine Arts, Brussels

Flex the right side of your brain with more than 80 workshops organised by the Royal Academy for Fine Arts in Brussels this summer. When it comes to contemporary art, these workshops don’t miss a spot: there’s courses in visual art, drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, design, textiles, theatre, writing, dance, movement and beyond. You have one to three workshops starting weekly from July 7. Once again, the workshops are given in French but see if something can be arranged.

Workshops are full-time (9.00-16.00). They are held weekly from July 7 to August 29

3. Swing dance workshops  - La Tentation, Brussels 

During the summer, Easy Swing Dance School offers Charleston and Lindy hop swing dance workshops in Brussels. Come learn for the first time or improve and learn some new moves and steps ! The workshops will be held at La Tentation in the centre of Brussels in the end of August.

Workshops are in the evening (19.00-20.30 and 20.30-22.00). They are held weekly from August 19-21

4. Summer Yoga Intensive – Iyengar Yoga, Ixelles

Find inner peace of mind all while toning your core with Iyengar Yoga’s Summer Yoga Intensive in Ixelles. At first sight four days of yoga does not seem intensive, but a look at the sessions’ duration makes you think twice: each session is three hours long. 12 hours of yoga later, you’ll definitely be ready to put on that bikini and head to the Belgian coast.

The summer intensive runs from August 6-9. Courses are from 18.00-21.00 Aug 6-8, and from 10.00-13.00 on Aug 9

5. Hip hop, jazz and contempo dance workshops – Move Zone Dance Crew, Ixelles

One of the cheapest, most talented and adult-oriented dance schools is offering dance workshops all summer long. The times and duration of the courses vary, but take place in the evening during the week and late afternoon over the weekend. You can take courses in everything from jazz and house to hip hop new style and jazz rock (and with each course costing only €9/hour, it’s definitely worth it to try them all).

These summer dance workshops run from June 28h to August 29

6. Language summer intensives – Varying cultural centres

Want to take advantage of summer to advance in your French and Dutch lessons, or to brush up on language skills before a trip to Latin America or Eastern Europe? Then sign up for a summer language intensive. Brussels’ Latin America House (La Maison de l’Amérique Latine) organises two sessions of summer language intensives beginning in July and August.  The Spanish and Portuguese language intensives are two-hour evening courses Monday to Friday for three weeks (at €210). The French intensive is the same hours but for four weeks (and at €95). Dutch is three three-hour sessions during lunchtime for three weeks in July and August (at €75). Meanwhile, the Russian Cultural Centre at Flagey runs a Russian language two-week intensive course from Monday to Friday three hours every evening. You can still sign up for the second week of the session here.

7. Latin and African dance courses – O’Dance Clubs

Learn how to salsa, bachata, kizomba in one of Brussels’ O’Dance Schools. From absolute beginners to advanced, you can come learn these Latin and African dance styles in a fun relaxed atmosphere on Fiesta Wednesday evenings. Once you start feeling confident you can attend their Friday night social dancing evenings where you come and dance all night.

These summer dance courses are every Wednesday from July 9 to August 20, as well as Friday, July 4 and Saturday, August 30. They last an hour.

8. Table tennis workshops – Logis Auderghem

What is more fun and relaxing than a week-long ping pong workshop with fellow members of the community? At Logis Auderghem students learn about technical aspects of table tennis and are separated in groups according to their playing level.

These summer workshops run from July 14 to August 29 and take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 19.00 to 22.00

9. Artisanal workshops – La Gaummette, Uccle

The non-profit La Gaumette offers summer-long workshops with artisans and artists who are willing to share and teach others their trade.  Learn or develop your skills in jewellery making, folk dancing, fine metal and woodworking, couture, basket weaving, accordion playing and drawing and painting nature. The courses are normally just in French, but with a little creativity and linguistic flexibility most of these courses should still be feasible.

Workshops runs from July 1 to August 19 on nights and weekends

10. Cooking classes – Mmmmh!, St. Gilles

Mmmmh! proposes cooking courses featuring all types of cuisine almost daily throughout July and August, with times ranging from late afternoon to early evening. Check out their schedule here: each course tends to last 180 minutes, and yes, you can eat what you cook at the end of the session. Those uncomfortable following the course in French or Italian can contact Mmmmh! as they also organise English-speaking courses on demand. Bon appetit!

Cooking classes occur daily at varying times throughout July and August

Photos courtesy of Mmmmh!