We’re back from summer break with things to do in Aalst, Brussels, Antwerp & Kortrijk. See you there!

Art festival: Paradise Kortrijk

Until 24 October Kortrijk

Ugo Rondinone, Ryan Gander, Yoko Ono, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Jeremy Deller – what a line-up! These and many other both Belgian and international artists have invaded the Belgian city of Kortrijk for this year’s Triennial of contemporary art  transforming the town into a giant artistic playground. The theme: paradise, a utopia our current world seems quite far away from at the moment – a fact that raises the question how we can build a better society. A must-see! 

Music festival: Jazz Middelheim at Park Den Brandt

From 13 to 16 August Antwerp

Slightly different than before, but, music festivals are back. Jazz Middelheim, the self-proclaimed “grande dame” among Belgian jazz festivals, is able to celebrate its  40th edition this summer, in the idyllic Park den Brandt, as is tradition. Under the fitting motto “Back to Live”, the international line-up shines a light on jazz in all its different forms, from swing big bands to avant-garde combos, from big names to lesser known ones, attempting to introduce all generations and a wider audience to the multifaceted genre. With Joe Lovano trio, Youn Sun Nah, ECHT!, and many others.

Performance: Something when it doesn’t rain at Decoratelier

Until 28 August Brussels

As the project title already indicates, this summer program thought up by Decoratelier is a work in progress, and, like the weather, subject to spontaneous changes. So, make sure to check the dedicated website for updates. So far, the forecast predicts yoga and ambient sounds on Friday and an intimate conversation as well as a dj set on Saturday. More here.

Exhibition: Gijs Milius at YEAH

From 7 to 31 August Brussels

While lots of galleries are on summer holiday, Brussels art space YEAH is open the entire month of August. On view: a solo show by Dutch, Brussels-based artist Gijs Milius whose practice focuses on meeting and exchanging ideas as well as interactions between a figure and its surroundings. His ideas can manifest themselves in the form of drawings and paintings, video, temporary installations, and audio works.

Performance festival: Les Brigittines

From 12 to 28 August Brussels

Les Brigittines, also known as “Playhouse for movement”, invites again to its annual international festival offering an exciting combo of performance, theatre, and dance. This year, the common thread is “Our heart beats elsewhere”. “Images, music, fiction… are there more diverse and open solutions to our desire for wonder?” asks artistic director Patrick Bonté. This week there’s Les Arrières-Mondes on the program, a piece exploring intimacy, the fantasies of memory, and the enigma of our presence. See the full festival schedule here.

Music: Amelie Lens at Arena 5

Saturday, 14 August Brussels

Right in front of the Atomium, Greenhouse Talent, Brussels Expo and Les Ardentes have teamed up to build a brand new summer open air concert stage in an iconic setting as a replacement for the cancellation of the big Belgian festivals. This week you can experience homegrown talent Amelie Lens live on stage, given that you can provide proof of vaccination, a negative test or a Covid recovery certificate.

Film: Netwerk Aalst outdoor cinema

Friday and Saturday Aalst

Another open air activity is being proposed by Netwerk Aalst, which presents movies on the big screen under the starry sky every Friday and Saturday after sunset. The program, reaching from arthouse to action, is partly curated by the audience: deposit a postcard with your choice from a pre-selected list in the red mailbox of Netwerk Aalst, and every week one card wins the draw. Find out here what will be projected this weekend.