The weekends seem to come around so quickly that it can be difficult to plan ahead while juggling the hectic rush of the working week. Luckily, The Brussels Times has your back. Discover our favourite events and activities this weekend below.
Arts, music and culture
FestiVita!, Cercle Royal Gaulois, until Sunday 23 February
This weekend, the sublime Cercle Gaulois Artistique et Littéraire in the Parc de Bruxelles will host the fifth edition of the festival of Early Music (comprising Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music), 'FestiVita!'. This year's programme revolves around the theme 'The Most Serene Republic of Venice between 1500 and 1797'.
Credit: Fesivita!
French violinist Amandine Beyer, this year's patron, will guide the audience through the golden age of Venetian music. Highlights of the event include 'The upside-down world' a project by Beyer and her ensemble Gli Incogniti on Friday evening and the iconic Venetian masked ball on Saturday, led by dance master Lieven Baert.
Find more information here.
Berlinde De Bruyckere. Khorós, Bozar, until Sunday 31 August
An exciting first for Bozar this weekend: the Centre for Fine Arts in the heart of Brussels will present a large-scale solo exhibition featuring the work of Ghent-born artist Berlinde De Bruyckere for the first time.
Image from Berlinde De Bruyckere's archives.
De Bruyckere, who puts humanity at the core of her compelling oeuvre, draws on various sources for inspiration: Christian iconography, classical mythology, the works of the Flemish masters and cultural lore, introducing these influences into a contemporary context. In Khorós, De Bruyckere presents a selection of her works over 25 years, accompanied by works of kindred artists, including Patti Smith.
Find more information here.
MONUMENT 0.10 : The Living Monument, Théâtre National Wallonie-Bruxelles, until Saturday 22 February
For her latest Carte Blanche instalment in a series started ten years ago, Hungarian choreographer Eszter Salamon has collaborated with 14 performers of the Norwegian National Company of Contemporary Dance to create a succession of dreamlike landscapes described as "dynamic monochromes."
Credit: Theatre WB/ Øystein Haara
Through visually powerful installations, humanoid forms, shimmering fabrics and strange masks, Salamon plunges the audience into a new world, linking the past, present and future.
Find more information here.
Out and about
Phantoms in Brussels, Brussels City Hall, until Sunday 9 March
Explore the rich and exciting history of Brussels through this multimedia tour through the exceptional rooms of the City Hall on the historic Grand Place. From Charles V to Napoleon, via Louis XIV, artists, multi-sensory tableaux and special effects bring all these illustrious figures to life, like ghosts.
Credit: City of Brussels/ Fantastic Label
The 45-minute walking tour is designed for all ages, and brings visitors through many of the building's majestic rooms. Available in Dutch, French and English.
Find more information here.
'Bruxelles, Terre d'asile!' festival, CBO Jette, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February
The fourth edition of this festival aimed at meeting and learning about the realities experienced by newcomers in Belgium comes at a pivotal time, organisers argue. The new Federal Government aspires to implement the strictest asylum and migration policies ever, making it "more important than ever" to affirm that "multiculturalism is an asset for the country".
Credit: CBO
From a discovery workshop on the traditional Palestinian dance Dabke and a performance shedding light on the reality of people living in Gaza since 7 October 2023 (preceded by a delicious Palestinian meal) to film screenings, games from around the world and a performance by the choir Les Voix des Garennes, expect a lively and heart-warming event.
Find more information here.
