What’s on this week: 14 to 20 November

‘Animal’ is the rather appealing theme adopted by the international contemporary music festival Ars Musica for its second edition. The Next Opera Days event spotlights the diversity of the music scene in Brussels and Wallonia, in addition to the animal kingdom. Each innovative show features animals in some form, including opening musical Happy Time at Uccle cultural centre with its tale of humans fleeing their human condition in favour of a lost paradise. The festival also features concerts and recitals. 15 November to 10 December, multiple locations

How to unravel the gender stereotypes that are embedded in its extensive collections, questions the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. In a new display Art x Gender, the institution examines gender stereotypes: the virile, brutal man; the gentle, maternal, nurturing woman, or contrarily the temptress or sinner. These examples are not only deeply rooted in the collective imagination, they are also conveyed through art. Discover some 30 works through this prism, dating from the 16th to the 20th century, by artists as diverse as Lucas Cranach, Cécile Douard, Jane Graverol and Roger Raveel. 19 November to 19 April, Rue de la Régence 3

Following a creative residency within the Art Nouveau treasure Maison Horta, artist Yunni Cho transforms the museum into a nocturnal and luminous landscape. The exhibition Stems of Light explores the dialogue between shadow and radiance, architecture and emotion, to reveal unseen details of Victor Horta’s masterpiece home and studio. Swiss-based Cho draws on her background in architecture, neuroscience and urban studies to create her contemporary projects. Until 11 January, Rue Américaine 25 (Saint-Gilles)

The Tough Enough Festival is set to dazzle Botanique with Americana, folk, and psychedelic music. The second edition of the indoor event will once again blend traditional acoustic music and a variety of rock genres, with a lineup of established artists and local up-and-coming musicians. Highlights include the renowned Jon Spencer, Bahamas, and The Darts. Botanique hints at further surprises to come, so stay tuned. 15 November, Rue Royale 236 (Saint-Josse)

Wine lovers shouldn’t miss Grrrabuge, a unique two-day wine festival. Celebrating natural wine, the festival highlights the role of farming practices in protecting biodiversity with a series of tastings, talks and workshops, plus a healthy dose of concerts and dancing on the side. Featuring more than 50 European producers of wine, cider, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks, the festival is a true ode to viticulture and brewery in all its diversity. For the gourmands, food trucks provide a hearty complement to the beverages. 15-16 November, Rue Adolphe Lavallée 39 (Molenbeek)

Two nights of performance, art and revelry await you at La Nuit du Cirque. The seventh edition of the much-loved event offers more than it ever has before, with 25 artists from all around the world presenting a plethora of sparkling circus acts guaranteed to enthral. Choose one of four Show Tours, each including several performances of around 20 minutes and possible bonuses at the end. Note: don’t expect to head home early, as a spectacular afterparty and DJ set begin from 23.00. 14-15 November, Rue Osseghem 50 (Molenbeek)

Join writers and aspiring wordsmiths at the European Poetry Festival: Brussels Camarade on Saturday afternoon. The literary gathering is graced by local authors Laura Davis, Lies Gallez, Julia Rose Lewis, Thérèse Mac an Airchinnigh, Martin Wakefield and Emma Woodford. Refreshments available. Free registration at brucamarade@gmail.com. 15 November 15.00-17.00, Green Door Gallery, Rue Murillo 21

The International Study Group (ISG) invites Tanguy Struye de Swielande to discuss From America First to America Alone? Assessing Trump’s Global Strategy. The UCLouvain international relations professor examines how the US now faces distrust and even rebellion as regards its place in the world. Expect an in-depth analysis on “whether the Trump administration represents continuity or rupture”.  Non-members welcome and pay a fee of €15 upon entrance. 17 November 10.00, Chateau Malou, Allée Pierre Levie 2 (Woluwe-Saint-Lambert) 

Europalia Espana Choreographer and visual artist La Ribot presents Juana ficción at Bozar, a work inspired by Juana I of Castilla, who became Queen of Spain, Austria and the Low Countries in the 16th century through her marriage to Philip of Hapsburg. Exploring this forgotten and imprisoned figure’s inner world, it is performed by dancer Juan Loriente with an original music score that combines Renaissance and polyphony sounds. La Ribot’s use of black paint in the haunting multidisciplinary piece references the light and shade of Goya’s paintings in the flagship Europalia exhibition at the arts centre, Luz y sombra. Goya and Spanish Realism. 15 November 18.00, Rue Ravenstein 23

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp immerses visitors in the universe of the Belgian surrealist master in the exhibition Magritte: La Ligne de Vie. Focusing on a rare lecture that the artist delivered at the museum in 1938, AI is used to recreate his voice and re-enact the presentation, which guides visitors through the exhibition. Delving deeper into Magritte’s role as a connecting figure between the surrealism movement in Antwerp and Brussels, the exhibition also runs parallel to the show on Marthe Donas to illustrate two different directions within modernism. 15 November to 22 February, Leopold de Waelplaats 1, Antwerp

More than 400 images by celebrated French photographer Robert Doisneau are gathered for this major retrospective at La Boverie in Liège. As one of the leading photographers of the 20th century, he is best known for his evocative black-and-white images capturing the essence of Parisian, including the world-renowned 1950 Le Baiser de l'Hôtel de Ville. Robert Doisneau. Instants Données presents photos dating from 1934 to 1992. Alongside some of his most iconic images, its is an occasion to explore lesser-known facets of this towering figure in the art world, including his photographic visits to Belgium. Until 19 April, Parc de la Boverie 3, Liège

In a world of change, the feeling of home or a sense of belonging plays a central role in our lives. This is the theme of this fourth edition of Docfest which collaborates with a Bruges-based organisation to enhance each of the 10 documentaries being screened with an added experience. The opening film Fly – Beyond the Spectrum (Bel, in NL & Fr), pictured,  explores the lives of a group of young adults who have lost confidence in themselves due to the labels of "autism" and "disability". 18-23 November, Cinema Lumière, Sint-Jakobsstraat 36, plus surprise locations around the city

Maredsous Abbey’s Christmas Market is a magical experience: 60 festive chalets surrounded  by the illuminated neo-Gothic facades of its Saint-Joseph’s Visitor Centre. An ice rink (open until 4 Jan) promises to be a big draw, along with a Christmas Concert Festival, a new addition for this 13th edition. Naturally, it’s also an opportunity to taste La Basilique, a beer specially created by the Benedictine abbey’s brewery to fundraise for a restoration project. 14 November to 21 December, Friday to Sunday, Rue de Maredsous 11, Denée (Namur province)

Discover more upcoming events at The Bulletin's events page.

Photos: (main image) ©Ars Musica; Roger Raveel, Mensenpaar, Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België, Brussel, foto J Geleyns - Art Photography ©Raveel - MDM SABAM, Belgium 2025; Maison Horta, courtesy Yunni Cho; circus ©Louis Hautier; Juana ficcion la ribot asier puga 2024 celestin  avignon ©Marc Domage; René Magritte, La saveur des larmes ©Succession René Magritte - SABAM Belgium, 2025, Private collection; Doisneau Instants Donnes-La Boverie ©Tempora