Things to do in Belgium this week: a music festival and a birthday bash in Brussels, photography in Liège, a summer bar in Antwerp, and more. See you there!

Festival: Recorders, The Soft Moon, Hot Chip & others at Botanique

Runs until 19 May Brussels

Annual Brussels music festival Nuits Botanique continues this week with the both dreamy and nightmarish soundscapes of Icelandic singer-songwriter Soley, multi-instrumentalist Luis Vasquez aka The Soft Moon and electro pop veterans Hot Chip. On Saturday Belgian fivesome Recorders takes over Rotonde for “Lapland Skies”, a special atmo-acoustic set featuring a harmonium and a 70s Rhodes that lets you experience their crafty soundscapes in a whole new light. Read a full overview of the festival here. 

Night out: Triple birthday bash at Beursschouwburg

Friday 15 May, 19-3h00 Brussels

So much to celebrate this weekend! Beursschouwburg turns 50, and the Kunstenfestivaldesarts and Belgian Pride both turn 20. The three Brussels institutions all join forces this Friday for a huge birthday bash kicking off with a street party. The night then continues with live gigs by Tei Shi as well as Anika and later turns into a party with Kong and DJ VingtCent behind the decks.

Music meets art: Swim Platførm at Super Dakota

Friday, 15 May, 19h30-22h00 Super Dakota

This Friday you cannot only discover Ariane Schick’s work and the fascinating group exhibition .GIF at Brussels’ gallery Super Dakota, but also the musical landscapes of French-born sound designer Roméo Poirier aka Swim Platførm.  His electro-acoustic songs explore his obsession with the aquatic element in all its forms. By the way, we recently interviewed Super Dakota founder Damien about Art Brussels 2015 here. Space is limited so please RSVP to justine@superdakota.com

Photography: Heavy Voice at Space Collection

Until 6 June Liège

Liège’s Space Collection currently exhibits the photographs of creative multi-talent Clementine Piret La Pieuvre, who’s part of the city’s art collective Big Girls Don’t Cry and Filles de Wallonie, the initiative behind the Liège vintage market and roller derby team Holy Wheels Menace. Her images are raw and sensual at the same time and have been shown in places such as Fotomuseum Rotterdam, Arles Off, and others.

Belgian Pride: Catclub, Silly Lilly #2, and more

On Saturday the yearly Belgian Pride parade takes over Brussels’ city center, and around the whole shebang a multitude of events are popping up all over to celebrate equality and diversity. One of them is Silly Lilly this Thursday, organized by the online community Brussels for Lesbians. There’ll be drinks, a DJ, a live gig by Brussels indie electro project Brain Rain and a sneak preview of short movie The Space Between Us, created by Belgian collective Gang. Another must is obviously Catclub’s Pride edition, always a glittery, flamboyant blast which this time is taking place at GB58 with Funkineven, Virginia, and Paulo Tessuto behind the decks.

Exhibition: Steven Shearer at Charles Riva Collection

Until 29 February 2016 Brussels

Steven Shearer, one of Canada’s most prominent contemporary artists at the moment, has already shown his work at renowned places such as the Venice Biennale and London’s Tate Modern. Now you can discover his multi-disciplinary work at Brussels’ Charles Riva Collection. Shearer is mainly known for his exploration of youth and rock culture and melancholic paintings of long-haired men reminding of Edvard Munch and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Opening: Jardim summer bar

Thursday, 14 May, 12h00 Antwerp

Days are slowly but surely getting longer and sunnier, and just in time newly launched Jardim summer bar kicks off the sunny season this Thursday. The pop up concept in river proximity offers cocktails, finger food and music in a green, summery setting and promises to be a great outdoor hangout.

Print: Art book fair at 019

From 15 to 16 May Ghent

Ghent book shop RIOT, 019, and Be-part all team up for the very first edition of the Ghent Art Book Fair, an event celebrating paper prints featuring 35 Belgian and international publishers from MER. Paper Kunsthalle and Roma Publications to Sleeperhold Publication and Art Paper Editions. There’ll also be performances by Mittland Och Leo and Ratzinger and Tone Zones as well as a group show featuring works by James Goggin, Lauren Grusenmeyer, Will Holder and others.

Birthday bash: TTTT turns 3

Sunday, 14-20h00 Ghent

Since its creation three years ago alternative art space These Things Take Time has firmly established itself in Ghent’s art scene with fresh and captivating exhibitions featuring mainly emerging artists such as Juan Pablo Plazas and Egon Van Herreweghe. This Sunday you’re invited to TTTT’s three year birthday bash, a mix of art, cakes, and lemonade.

Cover photo Grégoire Pleynet