Music in all its forms is at the heart of Brussels' cultural agenda this weekend. From unique performances underneath the palace of Charles V and one of the world's top guitar events to a festival featuring the best artists on the contemporary music scene, there is something for everyone!
Arts, music and culture
Ars Musica, various locations in Brussels, until 3 December
This international music festival brings the very best of the world's contemporary music scene to the Belgian capital. This year's edition of the biennial event, founded in 1989, will focus on urban nature.
Credit: Ars Musica
There will be an packed programme of contemporary musical creation on offer. The line-up includes Bryce Dessner, Katia et Marielle Labèque, Kronos Quartet and Roomful of Teeth, as well as an immersive stroll around the Marolles.
Find more information here.
Coudenberg Sound Box Fest, Coudenberg Palace, from 24 November to 15 December
Descend into the cellars of a former Brussels Palace for the fourth edition of the magical Coudenberg Sound Box Fest. This year's edition of the eclectic festival, set in a unique archaeological site in the heart of the capital, will see artists from Brussels and beyond enchant audiences with four concerts.
Credit: Coudenberg Sound Box Fest
The programme is curated by Italian flautist and doctor in music performance Matteo Gemolo. Every performance will see a combination of two bands, ensembles or musicians, joining forces on the stage, offering a rich variety of music genres. Can't make it to the concerts? Visitors to the Coudenberg Palace can bring their mobile phones and headphones to listen while wandering through the historic site.
Find more information here.
Alternative festivals
Brussels International Guitar Festival, Théâtre du Vaudeville, until Tuesday 26 November
The eagerly awaited event for guitar aficionados is returning to Brussels this weekend for its 13th edition. It is the only one of its kind in the capital and has established itself as one of the major festivals in Europe, renowned globally for showcasing the string instrument's many facets.
Credit: Brussels International Guitar Festival
From classical, Latino, Baroque and contemporary music to solo guitar, duo, trio, ensemble, guitar with orchestra, trumpet and singing, the event always guarantees a rich and varied programme, set at the cosy Théâtre du Vaudeville, located in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert.
Find more information here.
Espèce(s) de Clown.e.s! Festival sérieux des arts idiots, various locations, until Sunday 24 November
Don't miss Belgium's first festival dedicated to clowning and associated arts, which is coming to an end this weekend. Across 12 cultural venues, there will be shows, screenings, workshops, crazy cabarets and clown residencies, celebrating the eclectic discipline.
Credit: Espèces de clown·e·s
The festival invites visitors to celebrate the ridiculous, refined idiocy and the art of making people laugh and cry. "Our ambition is to showcase this multi-faceted art form, which is sometimes overlooked by the general public, by (re)discovering all its facets through a multi-disciplinary programme," a spokesperson said.
Find more information here.
Próximamente Festival, KVS theatre, until Saturday 23 November
The vibrant artistic gathering that is Próximamente Festival will once again bring life to Brussels in the coming days. For its third edition, exploring the theme of 'Futuro Ancestral', the festival seeks to find the connection between the ancestral and the contemporary.
Melissa Herrada (Left), and Shantí Vera (Right). Credit: Próximamente Festival
The event invites audiences to rethink our societies through the lens of art through lectures, showcases, round tables, talks, gatherings, and Latin karaoke, guided by artists from Latin America and its diasporas.
Find more information here.
