KBR's manuscript collection gets a six-monthly refresh
The Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), long a favoured spot for scholars and researchers is now pursuing a policy of actively welcoming the general public. The core of the library's collection, hundreds of magnificent illuminated manuscripts amassed by the Dukes of Burgundy in the XVth century, is now available to the public in the new KBR Museum. Due to the fragility of the documents they can onl...
4m Jun 14, 2021
4m
Roots and Wings international school faces closure after rental contract rescinded
The English-language school has been in Parmentier Park for 11 years and has received no clear answer as to why it is being asked to vacate. Parents have launched a petition.
15m Jun 09, 2021
15m
Cinematek reopens
Cinematek is reopening on 9 June with newly renovated screening rooms, new seats, newly restored and digitalized films, and a new much user- friendlier website. To celebrate the reopening they will be premiering the newly restored version of André Derlvaux's first film, The Man with the Shaved Head and inaugurating an exhibition on the quirky genius of Fernand Schirren, silent film pianist acco...
5m Jun 07, 2021
5m
La Monnaie director Peter De Caluwe
As the director of La Monnaie gears up for the opera house’s first live performances since last autumn, he reflects on a year of burgeoning creativity and frustrating political decisions
16m Jun 07, 2021
16m
Brussels Jazz Weekend
Brussels Jazz Weekend is back in the capital. Of course it couldn’t take place last year, because of corona, but this year the event has returned, fully outdoors and free of charge. Jazz musicians will play on balconies and roofs in every municipality in the capital.
13m May 28, 2021
13m
Millenium documentary film festival
The Millenium Documentary Film Festival goes online with more than 60 films as well as livestreamed debates. Subjects in the wide range (http://www.festivalmillenium.org/) of new documentary features range from retraining coal miners to recording memories during Alzheimer’s to the state of democracy around the world. Films are a mere €4 each – and €15 buys you the whole programme. All films sub...
9m May 10, 2021
9m
House of European History: Europe Now
The House of European History is expanding. It is opening its new permanent exhibition space, Europe Now, on 9 May. Located on the sixth floor of the museum, the new exhibition, which combines interactive installations and contemplative spaces, is made up of a dynamic collection of videos, photos, objects and works of art, all accompanied by audiovisual commentary in 24 different languages. And...
4m May 10, 2021
4m
The Iris Festival
The Iris Festival – that major annual event in Brussels that takes place on Victory in Europe Day – it was  cancelled last year but it is going ahead next weekend with a hybrid version, with some of it online and some of it in real life. We talk to the tourist organisation Visit Brussels about what we can expect.
7m May 01, 2021
7m
The Bridge: English theatre for Brussels
Edward McMillan is on a mission to establish a new theatre in Brussels that will professionally produce work in English. The Bridge will be a new cultural institution for Brussels that will use the power of theatre to promote progressive values, social cohesion and environmental sustainability. The theatre will begin by organising community-based activities this summer, such as workshops for ch...
10m Apr 25, 2021
10m
Belvas: How one Belgian chocolate company’s bean-to-bar project directly helps cocoa farmers
Easter is synonymous with eating chocolate and in Belgium – touted as the world capital for cocoa treats – the choice of eggs and chocolate delights is second to none. But one chocolate manufacturer, who is pioneering a €2 million Fairtrade project in West Africa, has this timely message for families. “You can’t buy an Easter egg that is not Fairtrade because how can a child in Belgium be hap...
53m Apr 11, 2021
53m
Fuse: Echoing Through Eternity
After a year of being closed, legendary techno dance club Fuse is taking advantage of pandemic rules that allow it to open as a temporary art exhibition venue and museum to present Echoing Through Eternity, a pop-up exhibition retracing the history of the peerless Brussels nightlife venue. In its 27-year history it has attracted not only dedicated clubbers from near and far but also the world’s...
5m Apr 11, 2021
5m
Mosto
Alessandra Teston is the owner of Mosto, which hosts online wine tastings led by the growers themselves, straight from the vineyard in Italy
7m Apr 11, 2021
7m
Brussels' vaccination coordinator Inge Neven
As head of the Communicable Disease department at Brussels health and welfare agency Cocom, Inge Neven is co-ordinating the region’s coronavirus vaccination campaign. The Bulletin spoke to her about the centres and the schedule at the heart of vaccination conversations in the capital.
10m Apr 06, 2021
10m
Circuit Sortie: Disabled and non-disabled people find common interests in new initiative
How many people with a disability do you know personally? That’s a question put to us by an initiative called Circuit Sortie, which brings together people who are physically or developmentally challenged with people who are not to take part in all kinds of activities, from city trips to a walk in the park. We talk to Kristel Gevaert, the co-director of Hart voor Handicap, the organisation in ch...
8m Mar 24, 2021
8m
The Brussels British Community Association
In our series on expat groups in Belgium – also broadcast on our community web radio – the Bulletin talks to Glenn Vaughan and Tim Reynolds from volunteer organisation BBCA.
33m Mar 24, 2021
33m
Roger Raveel
Bozar is staging the largest exhibition ever devoted to Roger Raveel, one of Belgium’s greatest artists of the 20th century.
11m Mar 20, 2021
11m
Passa Porta
How do you make people feel like they are attending a real festival in person rather than online? That was the challenge facing the Passa Porta Festival, which kicks off on 21 March. A biennial hosted by the Passa Porta house of literature in Brussels, it usually takes place across the capital, inviting readers to hear both new and established voices as well as visit its landmark performance ve...
7m Mar 20, 2021
7m
Reclaim These Streets
We hear from Rozina Spinnoy, organiser of the Reclaim These Streets vigil in Brussels on Saturday night, in memory of Sarah Everard, who was abducted and murdered while walking home in London. According to recent research, 80% of women in Belgium have been intimidated or harassed in public. The problem is especially apparent in the larger cities. In Brussels, for instance, the figure is closer ...
3m Mar 13, 2021
3m
Brussels I Love You
Brussels punches above its weight when it comes to culture in general, and its plethora of art galleries is no different. The event Brussels, I Love You – affectionately known as BILY – wants you to pop into them one by one, discovering the capital as you go. We hear from one of the organisers.
4m Mar 10, 2021
4m
Black History Month
March is Black History Month in Belgium. We hear from Eric Cyuzuzo, one of the organisers, who tell us why it is important and about the many events going on.
15m Mar 06, 2021
15m
Soulhacker
How would you like to meet with your therapist as an avatar in a virtual world? It could become  a reality if a research project by a group of Belgian psychologists and creative technicians proves successful. It’s called Soulhacker, and the group is the first to develop such a virtual reality (VR) programme for the treatment of depression.
17m Mar 01, 2021
17m
Who Killed Agathe?
Who Killed Agathe? It’s a new murder mystery game that you can play in the Wilder forest in Berchem-Saint-Agathe. We talk to Vincent Riga, a city-councillor in the commune and one of the developers of the game
6m Feb 27, 2021
6m
Community life in Belgium: The Committee of Italians Abroad
In the first of a series on expat groups in Belgium – also broadcast on our community web radio – the Bulletin talks to Benedetta Dentamaro of Italians Abroad
12m Feb 27, 2021
12m
Sophie Lenoir: Lockdown Portraits
Like the rest of us, Sophie Lenoir took to her bike for a little exercise and fresh air during the lockdown last spring. And she began to think about all those families behind all those locked doors. A professional photographer, she put out a call on a Facebook group devoted to the Laeken neighbourhood, where she lives. She wanted to photograph those families in front of their homes. She starte...
11m Feb 20, 2021
11m
Covid and your mental health: CHS psychologist Lise Skinnebach
Lise Skinnebach is a psychologist and a member of Community Help Service (CHS). She is very concerned about the mental health effects of the pandemic and has written a piece for The Bulletin that in particular focuses on loneliness.
8m Feb 13, 2021
8m
Tournée Minérale
Lock your liquor cabinet and hide the wine, Belgium’s dry month is at the door. It might at first seem unfair: You take away our friends, our cinemas, our haircuts … and now our beer? But Tournée Minérale is not meant to punish us or to deprive us, assures Tom Evenepoel of De Druglijn. Belgium’s alcohol-free month is meant to point out to us just how omnipresent drink is in our lives.
3m Feb 01, 2021
3m
Anima Festival 2021
Anima, the much respected Brussels international festival of animated films, is back but in a completely different form courtesy of the pandemic. Karin Vanderydt, one of the two festival directors, tells us what to expect. https://animafestival.be/en
5m Jan 30, 2021
5m
Studio K
Artists, curators and activists have taken to the airwaves at Kanal Centre Pompidou, which is running a new radio platform called Studio K for the next four weeks – and possibly beyond. We hear from curator Yann Chateigné.
16m Jan 17, 2021
16m
Meals4Healthcare
Local fundraiser Meals4healthcare (https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/fullcircle.eu/meals4healthcare/__;!!DOxrgLBm!T0iXkKgtzLrmRftupCl-wgFB1nmvpoq5mqQtMV2zX3pwhOGlWYZxRKf70YMY63BFru2poWQ$) is stepping up its appeal for donations to deliver meals to healthcare workers on the frontline of the battle against coronavirus. One of the campaign's organisers, Full Circle co-founder Bridie Nathanson, exp...
8m Jan 17, 2021
8m
Brusssels Minute - 14 January
- 'Justice for Ibrahima' protest turns violent - Belgium moves to enshrine rights for disabled people in constitution (https://www.thebulletin.be/belgium-moves-enshrine-rights-disabled-people-constitution) - Waiting lists grow for transgender care at specialist hospitals (https://www.thebulletin.be/waiting-lists-grow-transgender-care-specialist-hospitals)
1m Jan 13, 2021
1m
1,000 Petits Bonhommes
Maybe you saw them pop up on social media: Those quintessential little wooden mannequins creatively transformed – sometimes with props – into sculptures bursting with personality. They were made by artists in support of Infirmiers de Rue, an organisation providing medical care to the homeless. And now you can see them all together at the exhibition 1,000 Petits Bonshommes at Halles Saint-Géry. ...
3m Jan 09, 2021
3m
Washington DC unrest: A view from Democrats Abroad Belgium
Headlines around the world were dominated this week by the protest in Washington, DC, which saw Trump supporters storming the Capitol building, home to the Senate and House of Representatives that make up Congress. After the extraordinary scenes in Washington DC this week, our guest on The Bulletin radio on Friday was Onelica Andrade, from Democrats Abroad Belgium.
8m Jan 09, 2021
8m
Candelit vigil outside British Embassy as Brexit transition period ends
Several dozen Brits in Brussels braved the cold and rain for a candelit vigil on New Year's Eve to mark the end of the Brexit transition period. Wearing EU-flag facemasks, the group gathered opposite the British Embassy on Avenue d'Auderghem for speeches, a minute's silence and renditions of Ode to Joy and Auld Lang Syne. Our reporter Kate Havrlik was there.
8m Jan 03, 2021
8m
Brussels Explained: Annekatrien Verdickt
How can we improve health and quality of life in Brussels? During the lockdown, the City of Brussels decided to transform all the streets in the pentagon-shaped city centre into residential areas, which entailed the prioritisation of pedestrians and cyclists and a speed limitation for cars of 20kph. After a few months, this decision was partly revoked. What is the opinion of Annekatrien Verdick...
2m Dec 21, 2020
2m
Patatak
Anyone who wants to fully understand why Belgian fries are so celebrated should give Patatak (http://www.patatak.be/) a try - a chip shop with an original year-old location on the Parvis in Saint-Gilles and a brand new location downtown next to Cirio by the Bourse. We talk with owner Adrien Dewez. www.patatak.be (http://www.patatak.be/)
4m Dec 21, 2020
4m
Brussels Explained: Camilla Dreef
Where do all the exotic ring-necked parakeets in Brussels come from? (https://deburen.eu/programma/5153/where-do-all-the-exotic-ring-necked-parakeets-in-brussels-come-from) The Brussels-Capital Region has seen a rising number of exotic ring-necked parakeets in the city, currently estimated at around 12,000. But Brussels is not the only city in the Low Countries where the numbers of these bird ...
2m Dec 14, 2020
2m
House of European History: Fake for Real
The House of European History is presenting Fake for Real, an exhibition which retraces the history of forgery and falsification in Europe from the Trojan Horse to the deep rabbit holes currently created on the internet. Simina Badica, curator of the House of European History and co-curator of the exhibition tells us all about it. www.historia-europa.ep.eu (http://www.historia-europa.ep.eu/)
5m Dec 14, 2020
5m
Brussels Explained: Saffina Rana
As the UK prepares to exit the EU, Britons in Brussels are wondering how Brexit will impact their right to live, work and obtain social security in Belgium. How will Brexit affect Brussels? Journalist Saffina Rana explains. Hear the full Brussels Explained podcast at De Buren. https://deburen.eu/magazine/2953/what-are-the-consequences-of-brexit-for-brits-in-brussels-brussels-explained-with-saff...
1m Nov 28, 2020
1m
Balkan Trafik mural
The Parcours Street Art of the City of Brussels keeps growing and growing, now numbering over 120 works adorning façades and pavements across the city. Every year the music and culture festival Balkan Trafik! invites a street artist from the Balkans to create a piece of street art in Brussels. This year Serbian artist Jana Danilović has produced a mural entitled Up! in the Marolles neighborhood...
2m Nov 28, 2020
2m
Brussels Cultural Guide 2021
As we are all very aware, 2020 has been a daunting year for cultural institutions and events but the Foundation for the Arts is ready for a blockbuster 2021 - and the 2021 edition of their very popular annual Brussels Cultural Guide is here to prove it. We spoke with the director of the foundation Guy de Bellefroid. www.agenda.brussels
2m Nov 28, 2020
2m
Our house: The state of Brussels’ short-term property market
Housing young professionals is a booming business. So how does Brussels’ property sector live with the constant stream of international newcomers in search of short-term housing – and what’s it like to be one of them? Sarah Crew reports
7m Nov 16, 2020
7m
Local, slow, vegan, green: Six Belgian brands reshaping fashion
Want to look good while supporting local designers with a social conscience? Look no further. Sarah Schug reports
6m Nov 16, 2020
6m
Dying with dignity: The story of euthanasia in Belgium
Since Belgium’s euthanasia law was introduced in 2002, more than 22,000 people have chosen to die this way, ending unbearable psychological or physical suffering on their own terms. Two experts in end-of-life care and ethics talk us through the history, the safeguards – and where to turn for support and a listening ear. Lisa Bradshaw reports
11m Nov 15, 2020
11m
Racial discrimination in Belgium: 'This is a window of opportunity'
We sat down with Juliana Santos Wahlgren to talk about racial discrimination in Belgium, the Black Lives Matter protests, and what’s next. Linda Thompson reports.
8m Nov 14, 2020
8m
Covid in the classroom: How have international schools fared?
Six months ago, international schools in Belgium were suddenly confronted with a problem nobody had expected. We take a look at how they have tackled the challenges of Covid-19, drawing on all their advantages to ensure their students thrive. Karen McHugh reports.
6m Nov 11, 2020
6m
Family fortunes: A brief history of royalty in Belgium
Belgium officially has a new princess, and the next monarch will be the first Queen of the Belgians. As a gradual reckoning finally takes place of the atrocities of Leopold II’s reign, we take a brief tour through the high points and dark chapters of the country’s royal family. Leo Cendrowicz reports
5m Nov 09, 2020
5m
Power up: Tips for a more energy-efficient home
Whether you live in a rented city-centre apartment or your own detached house in the suburbs, there are plenty of measures that can cut energy use, save money and reduce our environmental footprint. Sarah Crew reports
5m Nov 07, 2020
5m
Writing academy unites refugees with a shared passion
Founded by novelist Sulaiman Addonia, the Refugee Writing Academy gives people a safe place to express themselves through literature and find a way back to the interests of their former lives. Lisa Bradshaw reports
7m Nov 07, 2020
7m
Covid causes rare outbreak of unity in Belgian politics
While Belgium has been among the countries worst hit by the pandemic, the crisis has cut through many of the usual government contortions the country is known for. So how is the federal government handling the crisis and are regional and local government measures aiding or aggravating the situation? Ian Mundell reports.
8m Nov 07, 2020
8m
Brussels Explained: Sarah Crew
Feeling like an insider instead of an outsider is the best thing that can happen to an expat living abroad. But getting there isn’t always easy and moving abroad comes with a set of challenges. How does this impact the mental health of expats? Bulletin editor-in-chief Sarah Crew explains in the latest Brussels Explained session. Listen to the full podcast at https://deburen.eu/magazine-archief?...
1m Oct 26, 2020
1m