Cozy season is in full swing, but Brussels' weekend agenda will doubtless win over some home birds. From an indoor version of a top summer festival to Spanish theatre and an authentic Romanian festival, find our favourite events below.
Alternative festivals
Bâtard Festival, Beursschouwburg, until Friday 8 November
The curators behind one of Brussels' most extraordinary performing arts festivals are bowing out after five years, with a final edition of Bâtard at Beursschouwburg. The programme promises to merge performances and concerts by emerging international and local artists with talks and gatherings. The festival will end with a bang at the unforgettable closing party on Friday.
Credit: Bâtard Brussels
However, lovers of the concept of the festival should not fret. Bâtard will change form with the artistic vision of a new creative direction and will return in a new format.
Find more information here.
Festival FLTM, La Chaufferie, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 November
Brussels' Fait-le Toi-même Festival (FLTM) aims to bring together speakers and audiences that do not always meet eye to eye – be it politically, culturally or on another level – to explore new possibilities together and stimulate unexpected encounters and imaginations.
Credit: Fait-le Toi-même
Through conferences, meetings, talks, discussions, moments of exchange and collective learning, it provides a platform to safely and constructively share (or debate) opinions and points of view on hot topics. This weekend, a ping-pong of viewpoints will be exchanged over combining art and technology, decolonising art and how to eat healthily. These debates take place alongside workshops, a market and a creative and sustainable trade fair.
Find more information here.
Arts, music and culture
El Método, Espace Lumen, until Saturday 9 November
TeatroBE is bringing one of the biggest critical successes of Spanish theatre of the last two decades – The Grönholm Method by Jordi Galcerán – to Brussels. The play will be in Spanish with English subtitles and tells the story of four aspirants, all vying for a high executive position in a multinational, set in an office in La Castellana.
Credit: Teatro BE
This satire on the world of recruitment processes portrays a battle of cunning and unscrupulousness where the four aspirants will face "atypical" tests in a selection process that will push them to the limit.
Find more information here.
Jam'In Jette Indoors, CBO Jette, Saturday 9 November
The autumnal version of Jam'in Jette Outdoor has rapidly grown to become one of Brussels' most beloved local festivals. It is returning this weekend to spark some joy during this colder, darker month. The event starts at 15:00 so the little ones can get into the spirit with face paints. There will also be a circus arts workshop and an enchanting show. The event will go on until 03:00, with a programme tailored for night owls and keen dancers.
Credit: Marie Lhoir
Spread across two stages, the line-up features eight world music performances, including by Brussels' very own Turkish Kebap and Senegalese reggaeman Lëk Sèn. The festival will also be serving up food to warm the soul, including sweet crêpes, Bahn-mi and soups.
Find more information here.
Out and about
ECOPOLIS, various locations in Brussels, Saturday 9 November
This event revolving around hope will, for the tenth time, help its audience transform their climate concerns into commitment. The one-day festival ECOPOLIS, Hope Needs Action!, puts on a range of activities, from walks and lectures to panels and workshops, offering a platform for dialogue between authors, scientists, activists and artists about responsibility and commitment.
Credit: ECOPOLIS
The event starts with a keynote by Mikaela Loach, the Jamaican-British author who wrote the book It’s Not That Radical, followed by a panel discussion including Belgian climate activist Anuna De Wever. Talks later in the day will focus on explaining artivism, strengthening democracy and how to push for hopeful policy, looking at an example from Wales.
Find more information here.
