Culture beat: 23 April – 8 May

The annual festival Balkan Trafik! promotes the frequently overlooked culture of southeast Europe at Bozar this weekend. Broadening its horizons, the ninth edition offers a rich programme of concerts, dance, talks, workshops and films from an increased spread of countries, including Poland and Ukraine. New additions include the Horta Hall being transformed into an evocative Balkan Kafé and a joint opening with the Brussels Short Film Festival this evening (Thursday). The line-up features an evening with Goran Bregovic and the Turksih Nathan Daems Karsilama Quintet on Friday, the Bulgarian dance ensemble Botevgrad Folklore Ensemble (Saturday), and Balkan short films on Sunday. Plus workshops on Roma culture. Until 26 April.

Even if the sun fails to shine the city will bask in the heat of The Brussels Tango Festival from 23 to 27 April. The event opens this evening (Thursday) with a glamorous gala in the beautiful Karreveld castle in Molenbeek and then dances through the city, from the Grand‘Place to the metro, parks and indoor venues. Succumb to the sultry spell of Argentinian tango with non-stop aperitif tango sessions, evening salons (check the dress theme for each one), after parties and workshops. An all-access pass provides entry to events.

You can dine, discuss and network at the Full Circle event tonight (Thursday) in a talk by Elizabeth Pisani on how Corruption makes the world go round (from 19.30). The journalist, author and scientist explains how corruption is embedded in society and examines how it should be tackled. Pisani then addresses a lunch talk on Friday, April 24, discussing AIDS is Dead! Long Live HIV! Then it’s the turn of UK language expert David Crystal to address a Full Circle gathering on 5 May with the topic Internet, Texting and the Future of English. From 18.30 to 21.00, it includes light food and drinks.

It’s being touted as the clash between imaginative and absurd Brits and surrealist and creative Belgians…. The English-language comedy evening Fun Food & ACTing (FFAct) on Tuesday 28 April is billed as an Improv Game: BE vs UK. The show is a collaboration between the official Belgian impro league and the British Racing Minds, a quintet formed in 2010 who have already cut their teeth at the Edinburgh comedy festival. €25 presale tickets plus dinner option after the show. At Théâtre de la Toison d’Or.

Don’t miss a chance to party on the eve of the 1 May public holiday at Bozar Night 2015 on 30 April. One of the highlights of the electronic music celebration is an interactive performance by Holly Herndon, the American composer and sound artist. Portraits and faces are the theme of the event which explores visual arts via Bozar’s current exhibitions, Faces Then and Faces Now, and show devoted to Ottoman art, The Sultan’s World. 

The first of May marks the annual opening of Brussels’ waterways. To entice people onto the rivers and canals, Brussels by Water is offering numerous activities for €2. The Sailhappening includes trips along the Senne and the Brabant canals combined with guided bicycle and walking tours.

Outside Brussels

The international chamber music celebration Festival Resonances, is divided between two bucolic sites: the Grange du Douaire, Ottiginies on 30 April and the Château de Halloy, Ciney on 1, 2 and 3 May. Around 20 dedicated musicians perform six concerts including evenings devoted to the music of Russia, Vienna and Nordic countries. The finale concert features compositions by Brahms, Berg and Strauss. There are also master classes open to all. Advance reservation recommended.

The triangular Aubin-Neufchâteau Fort was built in the 1930s to further protect the strategic city of Liège. It was in addition to the 12 original forts that one by one had fallen to the German army at the outbreak of World War One in 1914. Aubin-Neufchâteau, on the edge of the German border, suffered a similar fate when it surrendered to German forces at the beginning of the second world war. Carefully preserved and now maintained by an army of volunteers, the fort is open to the public every third Sunday of the month. An anniversary commemoration of its fall is to be held on 8 May, attended by local and international dignitaries. The site is also popular with Americans as the local village hosted the 740th tank battalion before it fought in the legendary Battle of the Bulge at the end of 1944.