BANAD (Brussels Art Nouveau & Art Deco) Festival by Explore.Brussels is back in town between 12-27 March 2022. Get ready for a variety of programs: 50 interior visits, guided walks, conferences, concerts – and so much more make the 6th edition of the festival a true feast.
The BANAD Festival is the largest of the kind in Brussels that spotlights the rich art nouveau and art deco architecture of the city. Should you just start discovering this heritage, the doors of the most famous buildings – among which 4 art nouveau townhouses by Arch. Victor Horta that are part of UNESCO World Heritage – open up for you. Should you be already an expert looking for lesser-known gems, Banad has always something new to offer. Thus this program is just perfect for first-timers and connaisseurs alike.
Around 50 buildings will open their doors during 3 weekends in March. Many of these are not open to the public generally. Furthermore, the member associations of Explore Brussels offer a wide range of guided tours: waking tours, bike tours and special tours for people with disabilities.
A special conference will be dedicated to the unknown female artists of art nouveau who often worked behind the scenes and their names were never revealed to the public. As for a European perspective and connection, a colloquium and exhibition is organised in partnership with the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center of Brussels about Károly Kós. Not only Hungarian, but Transylvanian architect and ornamentalist, who was a leading figure of the Eastern European art nouveau movement that took inspiration from the original, authentic folk art.
The full program is available on banad.brussels website. The reservation for individual visits opens on 8th February at 14.00. The best spots sell out in few minutes, so register ahead in the online system and be ready to book!
One of the new highlights this year is the former Brunner Bank. The neoclassical building that dates back to 1860, in around 1900 was turned into the premises of the Brunner Bank by architect Léon Govaerts. He converted the dining room into a neo-Renaissance drawing room and created a spectacular Art Nouveau counter hall topped with a spectacular glass dome.
