Best of Brussels in January 2024

As the echoes of holidays fade away, grey and rainy January may seem like a dull month. However, it may be a good month to revisit your favourite places and discover new indoor favourites. Make this month cosy by embracing indoor activities – visit one of numerous cinemas, art galleries and museums, iconic cafes or spend time exploring city’s beautiful covered passages, like Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert. We bring you a selection of most important exhibitions & events in the coming weeks.

BRAFA Art Fair
BRAFA, one of the most prestigious art fairs in Europe is coming back to Brussels from Sunday, 28 January to Sunday, 4 February at Brussels Expo. This 69th edition will bring rare works, ranging from antiquity to the twenty-first century. As Harold t’Kint de Roodenbeke, the Chairman of BRAFA states ‘BRAFA promises a real voyage through time and space, from one era to another, from one style to another. The objects on display are subtly arranged to create a real dialogue. BRAFA will continue to build on one of its greatest assets: its eclecticism.’ This year, the spotlight will be on the Paul Delvaux Foundation, to mark the 30th anniversary of the painter’s death.
More info and tickets https://www.brafa.art/en

PhotoBrussels Festival
For the 8th edition, Hangar will bring together photographers and photography aficionados to many different venues across the city for variety of exhibitions, workshops, conferences and guided tours.
Info: https://www.photobrusselsfestival.com/

Ceramic Brussels 
The new arrival at the Brussels fair scene will bring together around 60 galleries, institutions and key players in contemporary ceramics for the first time. It will offer a unique forum for high-level exchanges and networking, while encouraging interactions and collaborations. More info.

Brussels Jazz Festival, 11 January – 20 January
Chase away January blues with the energy of jazz. For nine days in January, Brussels Jazz Festival will feature different forms of jazz to kick off the year in style.
Get the full programme via flagey.be 

Rexit!
This top performance by KVS, which premiers this January, will be interesting for all politics and history buffs among our readers. Namely, icons of Flemish theatre Valentijn Dhaenens and Bruno Vanden Broecke get under the skin of the historical figures of Leopold III and his minister of foreign affairs Paul-Henri Spaak, who haven’t seen each other for five years. The clash between Spaak and Leopold is not just a confrontation between two figures who made different choices during the war: it’s a clash of two different personalities with opposing world views. More info and tickets on kvs.be 

Special note: Don’t miss to visit Fin-de-Siècle Museum until 8 January, as The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium enter a new phase of construction works which require a rethinking of the museum spaces and modernisation. So, be quick and check their permanent collection which consists of artists like Constantin Meunier, James Ensor, Henri Evenepoel, Fernand Khnopff, Léon Spilliaert and Georges Minne before they close to public.

We also selected some of the exhibitions and events that end very soon. To stay informed regarding upcoming events subscribe to our newsletter here.

• Europalia festival. New edition is dedicated to Georgia – expect a rich programme of exhibitions, performances, concerts, film, dance and theatre productions and literature. Info
• Victor Horta and the Grammar of Art Nouveau. Until 14 January in Bozar. The exhibition explores the fundamental themes and lines of force in the oeuvre of the most famous Belgian architect of all time. Details
• VOCA PEOPLE at The Viage. The favorite musical aliens are back in Brussels, featuring new music and new comedy in a brand-new show. They’ve captivated audiences worldwide with their exceptional talents, and they’re now making a triumphant return with their latest show, Cosmic Tour from 26 December to 7 January 2024. Details here
• Nuevo Nouveau at MAD – Home of Creators. The show about Spanish artist & designer Jaime Hayon who is sometimes referred to as the contemporary Antoni Gaudi, embodies all of these aspects: from mysterious ceramic creatures and finely crafted objects to colourful interiors and intriguing paintings. Until 27 January 2024. Info
• Expo Antoni Tàpies. The first major exhibition in Belgium to showcase a complete view on the work of the artist with a selection of 122 works reunited at Bozar for the first time after several decades. Until 7 January. Details
• Expo Throwaway. The history of a modern crisis unearths the hidden history of waste in Europe while simultaneously highlighting its significance as a marker of social change. At House of European History. Until 14 January 2024. More info here
• Woman Before Fashion exhibition at Fashion and Lace Museum dedicated to the fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. For the first time in Europe, discover the inspiring career of this native of Brussels who became an international fashion figure. Until 7 January. Info
• Brussels Auto Show, the first edition of BAS focuses on the spectacle, experience, and numerous exceptional cars and motorcycles on the Catwalk while also emphasizing sustainability. The new concept is more focused on car enthusiasts than buyers and the organization is expecting more than 80,000 visitors between 17 and 21 January 2024. Details