What’s on this week: 2 to 8 October

Architecture and culture lovers are in for a treat with the Artonov Festival, offering visits to normally off-limit heritage properties, as well as Japanese-themed cultural activities. In this multidisciplinary event, the ‘Art’ stands for Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the ‘nov’ indicates artistic newcomers breaking ground like the country’s former pioneering architects, and the ‘o’ binds the two, creating a full circle of architecture and culture. The banner of this 12th edition, ‘We Do Not Work Alone,’ is borrowed from Japanese ceramist Kanjiro Kawai who was instrumental in the mingei movement that valued daily objects and the work of anonymous artisans. Exhibitions, concerts, performances, tours and events at the festival’s Lab in the former Centrale art space in Sainte-Catherine, plus Horta homes, Hôtel Eetvelde, Hôtel Wissinger and Maison Pelgrims. 4-23 October, multiple venues

Gathering some 60 Belgian and international galleries at Tour & Taxis, ArtOnPaper reurns to the capital after a pause in 2025 to celebrate its 10th edition. The anniversary is a moment of celebration and a renewed ambition: positioning itself as the European fair for works on paper, from Old Masters to modern and contemporary works. The fair includes six guest projects and a Solo Prize, and offers visitors five sections: Old Masters, Main, Emergent, Solo and the new Edition category. 2-4 October, Rue Picard 11

Bozar honours one of Belgium’s leading yet often overlooked modernist artists with the major retrospective Jean Brusselmans - Painter by nature. More than 120 works trace his artistic evolution from the early 20th century to his death in 1953. A resolutely independent figure in the art world who eschewed classification, he developed his own pictorial language at the intersection of abstraction and figuration, as evident in his depiction of the Brabant countryside. Brusselmans’ works are shown in dialogue with contemporaries including Léger, Mondrain and Wouters. 2 October to 31 January, Rue Ravenstein 23

Celebrating 50 years of Belgian jazz, the music association Les Lundis d'Hortense marks its half century with jams, partying, musical performances and concerts all around the country. Musicians include Aka Moon & Guests (pictured above) performing 'Take the Coltrane,' Bodem, Lily Joel and Basile Rahoma Quartet among others. Until 4 October, multiple venues across Belgium

Every autumn, francophone music festival FrancoFaune takes over around 15 venues in the capital to host some 50 concerts to shine a light on the diversity, originality and innovation of not only Belgian musicians, but French, Swiss, Quebec and French-Canadian artists, across all musical genres. They include The Experimental Tropic Blues Band, Rokia Bamba, Chaton Laveur, Cazaar, Mia Lena, Yasmine and TedaAk. 1-11 October, multiple venues

Icons. 20 Years of the Designer of the Year Awards at MAD Brussels presents the laureates from the annual prize that serves as a major reference for the Belgian design landscape. From the fist winner, Alain Berteau in 2006, to other notable recipients like Muller Van Severen, Alain Gilles, Nedda El-Asmar, Julien Renault and Linde Freya Tangelder, discover some the best contemporary design in Belgium: from ceramic designers and silversmiths to product and lighting designers. Free entrance, reservation required. 1 October to 12 December, Wednesday to Saturday, Place du Nouveau Marché aux Grains 10

Autoworld celebrates its 40th anniversary with a big Birthday Event for all ages on Sunday. Festive activities encompass a special Cars & Coffee edition, an impressive Supercar Line-up in the museum, free guided tours, rides in cars from the collection, activities for children and, of course, the anniversary exhibition Autoworld 40 Years - Looking Back to the Future. 4 October, Esplanade, Cinquantenaire Park (Etterbeek)

For its highly-anticipated season opener, Brussels Basketball is hosting CB Liège at the ING Arena. The capital’s men’s basketball team launches its 2026-27 campaign in the cross-border Belgian-Dutch BNXT League with a full entertainment experience. Warming up the crowds with live music before the match is Daryl Ngoga. At half-time, Kulturr steps into the arena, while the Kingz Nation dancers take care of the quarter breaks. Party organisers, N’Joy The Beat then thrill the crowds following the fast-paced game. 6 October 20.30, Esplanade 1 (Laeken)

Book now The Bridge Theatre’s autumn production, Copenhagen by Michael Frayn is a  1998 drama about of the most consequential moments in the history of science. In 1941, Werner Heisenberg travelled to Nazi-occupied Copenhagen to meet former mentor, the physicist Niels Bohr. With Europe at war, the discovery of nuclear fission had opened up the possibility of a weapon capable of unprecedented destruction. Exactly what happened during the visit remains a mystery, but Frayn takes this uncertainty and turns it into something extraordinary; part detective story, part philosophical debate and part emotional reckoning. 15 October to 6 November, La Maison Qui Chante (Ixelles)

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

Following editions in Brussels, Leuven and Namur, the Writers Festival of Belgium heads to Antwerp for its annual literary gathering. Presentations and talks by festival director Alia Papageorgiou, plus Sophie in’t Veld, Helena Buckinx, Irene Favero, Dionysios Kalamvrezos, Victoria Bruce, Linda Warnier, Natalie Sarkic Todd and William Noah Glucroft. There’s also music, workshops and a walking tour by writer Derek Blyth. The event concludes with the announcement of the festival’s short story competition. 3 October 11.00-18.00, De Groene Waterman, Wolstraat 7, Antwerp

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) presents the largest retrospective exhibition ever dedicated to the contemporary Belgian artist of Spanish origin, Philip Aguirre y Otegui. Monumental sculptures, intimate figures, drawings and prints span more than 40 years of his career, which largely explores social and political themes – particularly issues of migration and refugees. “Art is not going to save the world, but it may touch an individual, make them think or bring them joy," Says the artist, also exhibiting at the Venice Biennale this year. 3 October to 17 January, Leopold de Waelplaats 1, Antwerp

Belgium’s biggest film festival features a whopping 100 features, 40 shorts, two VR projects and 23 documentaries from 49 different countries in its showcase of international cinema. Film Fest Gent also hosts the World Soundtrack Awards and stages concerts and other musical events for its 53rd edition. Themed ‘War in times of art,’ the programme is far-reaching, exploring conflict in not only uncertain times, but personal and family stories. Opening film Coward (pictured) by Lukas Dhont demonstrates the theme in its tale of young soldiers in World War One attempting to briefly escape the horrors of the trenches by staging musical performances. 7-18 October, across Ghent

The Royal Domain and Museum of Mariemont honours Brussels’ last porcelain manufacturer in its new exhibition Le Magasin de Porcelaine. It invites visitors to step inside the Demeuldre-Coché factory that operated between 1830 and 2020 and follow each of the processes involved in making fine china. The factory is brought to life through personal stories, craftsmanship and the daily tasks that made nearly two centuries of history not only an industrial and social story, but a deeply human one. Until 9 May, Chaussée de Mariemont 100, Morlanwelz (Hainaut)

Discover more upcoming events at The Bulletin's events page.

Photos: ArtOnPaper; KMSKA ©Philip Aguirre y Otegui, Matrasdrager, 2001 Collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap, in bewaarneming bij Mu.ZEE Oostende. Foto ©Koen de Waal; Film Fest Gent volumes , fiona; Porcelain exhibition at Mariemont © Culture