What’s on this week: 6 to 12 March

Picture Perfect is a provocative and playful examination of physical beauty through a contemporary lens. It continues Bozar’s thematic exploration of love, while finding a suitable match in the arts centre’s exploration of beauty and ugliness in Renaissance art in the parallel exhibition Bellezza é Bruttezza. This second thematic exhibition on love focuses on what motivates us as humans. Through the lens of photography and video, discover how artists since the 1960s have depicted and challenged established norms of who is considered beautiful. It makes for a thought provoking and pertinent ride. 7 March to 16 August, Rue Ravenstein 23

Le Senghor cultural centre dedicates two evenings to female voices in honour of International Women’s Day with Women of the World. Friday evening showcases Belgian-Tunisian Ghalia Benali, who sings in classical Arabic, while her compositions draw on a wide range of influences, from Arabic folk music to jazz, contemporary lounge and Indian classical music. Saturday evening showcases three young artists from the new Brussels musical scene: Dilan Ozsu, Niña Maleza and Sura Sol. From the intimacy of Kurdish music to poetic rebellion set against a backdrop of South American folklore and the raw power of Sura's genre-defying melodies, they immerse audiences in three very different worlds. 6 & 7 March 20.00, Espace Senghor, Chaussée de Waterloo 366 (Etterbeek)

A national action for Women’s Day in the capital on Sunday includes a feminist fair in Place Albertine from 11.00 and a march from 14.00. The initiative marking the international day plans to denounce the current government’s “defunding of social security to finance war” and the “rise of inequality, sexism, racism, and policies that sacrifice our lives.” 8 March from 11.00, Place Albertine and city-centre

The Erasmus House and Beguinage welcome Ole Desire!, an exhibition dedicated to Belgian artist Yves Malfliet and his unique take on ceramic art. Known for bending the rules of his craft and ceramic tradition, Malfliet transforms vintage tableware and everyday objects into special, anarchic sculptures that blur the line between satire and homage. Set against the Renaissance interiors of the Erasmus House, his works create an unexpected contrast with a site long associated with classic works. The result is a humorous but also thought inducing encounter between old and new. 6 March to 20 September, Erasmus House & Beguinage, Kapittelstraat 31 (Anderlecht)

L’Heure d’Hiver invites you to celebrate the season with a relaxed programme of music, DJ sets, drinks and chill out moments in the unique halls of Tour & Taxis. Designed as a winter counterpart to summer festivals, the event features a curated lineup of local and international music, live sounds and special vibes that bridge electronic, soul and experimental music genres. With food and drinks available, it’s perfect for music lovers seeking a laid back yet engaging and fun weekend experience. Pictured: L'Auberge Espagnole Barcelona. 7-8 March, Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port 86C

The Offscreen Film Festival returns to Brussels with a unique programme celebrating independent, cult and non mainstream cinema. Organised by the association Marcel, the festival offers a curated selection of adventurous films from around the world, from underground cinema to avant garde and film favourites. Screenings take place across several city venues including Cinema Nova, Cinematek and Kinograph, with tickets recommended in advance due to limited seating. 11-29 Mar 2026, multiple locations

Fans of contemporary design will be heading to Collectible, a fair that showcases some of the very best 21st century creativity. The 9th edition in the modernist Vanderborght building brings together designers, galleries, collectors and enthusiasts from Belgium and beyond. It also offers a new section dedicated to table culture and design. Serving as a platform for promoting talent, its careful curation guarantees the quality of pieces on show. 12-15 March, Espace Vanderborght, Rue de L’Ecuyer 50

KVS presents the Belgian premiere of Maria Magdalena, a new production by Michael De Cock and Carme Portaceli, created with Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. After their adaptations of Mrs Dalloway and Madame Bovary, the directors revisit the figure of Mary Magdalene, long portrayed as a repentant sinner but increasingly recognised by historians as a key leader in early Christianity. In the play, a literature professor travels from Brussels to Barcelona to lecture on Magdalene, until her taxi driver claims he is Jesus. Blending myth and contemporary reflection, the performance gives voice to women erased from history. Tickets are available on the KVS Bol website, ranging from €30 to only €8 for students. 11-12 March, KVS BOL, Lakensestraat 146

The International Study Group (ISG) turns its attention to antiquity with the talk Amenhotep III: an apex of Egyptian power by US-French academic Simone Burger. Although overshadowed by the treasures of the tomb of Tutankhamun, Amenhotep III’s more than 38 year rule represented the apex of Egyptian cultural production. Non-members welcome to the event for a fee of €15 payable upon entry. 9 March 10.00, Chateau Malou, Allee Pierre Levie 2 (Woluwe-Saint-Pierre)

More than 40 museums across Brussels offer late opening events for the 26th edition of Nocturnes. Each Thursday evening, some seven cultural institutions open their doors on for a special programme of activities. In addition to guided tours, behind-the-scenes visits and extra muros activities, a ‘special’ event is organised each week, such as a tasting, a dance workshop, a games night or an extra late opening, say organisers. For the launch evening, KBR, Brussels City Museum, City Hall and the National Bank of Belgium (pictured) are among the institutions welcoming visitors. 12 March to 23 April, multiple venues across the city

With the latest big screen version of Wuthering Heights currently dividing viewers and critics, Waterstones bookshop stages the event, A Night with the Brontës. Discussing “all things” surrounding Emily’s celebrated work, it offers games, drinks and a prize draw. Entrance is free but prior registration is necessary. The event is staged in association with the Brussels Brontë Group. 12 March 19.30-21.00, Boulevard Adolphe Max 71-75

Book now The Banad Festival offers a unique opportunity for fans of Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture to rediscover Brussels’ hidden gems from a new perspective. Buildings usually closed to the public will open their doors for interior visits. Spread across three weekends and three geographic zones, the programme features around 60 interior visits, including 12 new locations such as the University Foundation (pictured). The festival also includes guided architectural tours, an on-site jazz evening, tasting walks, a specialised bookshop and more. Tickets must be purchased in advance. 14 & 15; 21 & 22; and 28 & 29 March, locations across the city

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

This much-anticipated exhibition at Ghent’s Fine Arts Museum (MSK) showcases the work of more than 40 women artists from the Low Countries. Unforgettable. Women artists from Antwerp to Amsterdam, 1600 to 1750  reveals how generations of female creatives contributed to the artistic life of their era, yet their names were largely forgotten after their lifetimes due to conscious or unconscious gender bias, or simply their work being attributed to male artists. Discover paintings, drawings and crafts by Michaelina Wauthier, Judith Leyster, Clara Peeters, Louise Hollandine van de Palts, and more. 7 March to 31 May, MSK Ghent, Fernand Scribedreef 1, Ghent

The James Ensor House in Ostend presents a special exhibition showing paintings by the local artist in dialogue with Henri Evenepoel (1872–1899). Although the artists probably never met, they display striking similarities in style and theme as masterful colourists who brought everyday scenes, landscapes, cityscapes and portraits to life with pictorial bravura. Ostend was the backdrop for Ensor, while Paris played a central role in Evenepoel's short but intense oeuvre. Until 3 May, Vlaanderenstraat 27, Ostend

The Love International Film Festival Mons bathes its host city in various shades of love in the coming week. The 41st edition of this annual ode boasts an excellent programme, which opens with a gala evening screening the French film Compostelle by Yann Samuell, which is inspired by a true story about two adolescents embarking on the famous pilgrimage route. After competitions, guest visits and a homage to the late great Emilie Dequenne, the festival closes with the BAFTA award-winning British film I swear (pictured) by Kirk Jones, based on the life of Tourette sufferer John Davidson. 6-14 March, Imagix, Plaza Arthouse and other venues, Mons

The Royal Domain and Museum of Mariemont stages the focus exhibition: Graver & Interpréter à la Haute Renaissance. In the 16th century, engravers reproduced and disseminated around Europe famous works of art that drew on inspiration from the great masters. Dedicated to the prolific Italian engraver Giovanni Antonio da Brescia, show presents some 40 prints inspired by Andrea Mantegna, Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer and Raphael, as well as by classical antiquity. Until 10 May, Chaussée de Mariemont 100, Morlanwelz (Hainaut province)

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

Photos: (main image) Be Nice To Me (Flatten 04) from Open My Glade video installation by Pipilotti Rist (video still) ©Pipilotti Rist/2026, SABAM; Zita Swoon 2025 ©Yves Malfliet ©Sylvain Deleu; Hauser & Wirth and Luhring Augustine ©St Vincents edit by Michael Hilal at COLLECTIBLE New York 2024 ©Jonathan Hokklo; Maria Magdalena, courtesy Teatre Nacional de Catalunya; Fondation Universitaire Stichting ©EB/Sophie Voituron; Michaelina Wautier Twee meisjes als de heiligen Agnes en Dorothea ©KMSKA; Mons Love Film Festival, I Swear film; Atelier d’Andrea Mantegna, d’après Andrea Mantegna, Danse des Muses, après 1497, burin, Liège, Musée Wittert