The Live Comedy Festival in Brussels and Antwerp
Jimmy Carr, Reginald D Hunter, Nina Conti and more... The second edition of the Live Comedy Festival in Antwerp and Brussels is not to be missed. Organiser Tom Bertels shares some of this year's highlights
3m May 17, 2016
3m
The Zinneke Parade
Created for Brussels European Capital of Culture in 2000, the Zinneke Parade has become a mainstay of the city's cultural landscape. Every two years two dozen Zinnodes (think of the Krewes of New Orleans' Mardi Gras) rally around a theme (after such themes as Water, Disorder and Temptation, this year's theme is Fragility) and create an unforgettable, entrancing, striking and magical spectacle t...
3m May 15, 2016
3m
Project Room: Calling all young artists
La Forest Divonne Project Room Brussels is a showcase for young artists. Jean de Malherbe wants to offer them a chance at exposure. If you would like to present yourself as the next Project Room artist: http://www.galerielaforestdivonne.fr/en
1m May 15, 2016
1m
The Brussels Sports Association
The international language is… sport. We visit the Brussels Sports Association - which introduces kids of all nationalities to sports you might not learn in a Belgian school -- like baseball and lacrosse. It's a way for children and their parents to mix with other cultures. And it seems sport is a great way of bridging language divides. www.bsasports.org
3m May 15, 2016
3m
The Fry Group: Opportunities for investing in uncertain times
Disappointed with savings interest rates? The Fry Group is putting on a free investment seminar at the Thon Hotel EU on 19 May. Pauline Curran explains more...
3m May 15, 2016
3m
Ghost Sheep: Improv comedy in Brussels
The American Theatre Company here in Brussels has an improv theatre troupe. They're called the Ghost Sheep - and their task is to make comedy gold on stage, on the spot, without a script. It requires a quick mind and audience interaction. Kelly Agathos explains improvisation and its impact beyond the laughs. www.atcbrussels.com’
3m May 10, 2016
3m
Kunstenfestivalsdesarts/Charleroi Danses: Taoufiq Izeddiou - En Alerte
Moroccan dancer and choreographer Taoufiq Izeddiou is one of the people most responsible for the development of contemporary dance in his homeland. His first dance experience at five was also a spiritual one as it was a sufi ritual that his mother had expressly forbidden him to participate in. He is still separating religion from spirituality in his work and he uses traditional as well as conte...
3m May 06, 2016
3m
BLOC: the Brussels Light Opera Company
25 different nationalities - members ranging from 10 to 75 years old... we meet the Brussels Light Opera Company (or BLOC for short) - an amateur theatre group that's been putting on shows in Brussels for 40 years. Their next performance is at the end of May. Details at www.bloc-brussels.com
3m May 03, 2016
3m
Cibacco: Italian food bikes in Brussels
The Food Truck Festival returns this weekend. But today we're visiting a food bike. "Cibacco" are two Italian brothers who've been feeding eurocrats for the past year. One of their bikes is located on Rue Joseph II - just a few metres from Maelbeek metro station…http://cibacco.net/
3m May 02, 2016
3m
Starting a business in Brussels
There was a record number of start-ups in Belgium last year (more than 80,000) -- and the idea of being your own boss is appealing to expats as well as Belgians. But it can be confusing and complicated. We attended a seminar yesterday and spoke to experts about setting up a business, and to some people who've already done it or are about to take the plunge.
3m Apr 28, 2016
3m
Wolf's Bar: Street workouts in Brussels
Opening this Saturday, Brussels will have its first "street workout" space in Maximilian Park. We meet the very international street workout club Wolf's Bar - who managed to persuade Pascal Smet that it was a good idea. Until now, the club have been practising in some unusual locations. We spoke to them, hanging off of a scaffolding, on Dansaert at midnight.
3m Apr 28, 2016
3m
Parcours d'Artistes Saint-Gilles/Forest preview
Started in 1988, the biennial Parcours d'Artistes of Saint-Gilles has now been joined by Forest and consists this year of 430 artists. Not only does this artists' itinerary allow the public to enter the studios of the participants but this year a special emphasis has been put on the place of art and the artist in public spaces.Dewi Brunet, French expat living in Brussels is one of the artists i...
3m Apr 24, 2016
3m
Charles Riva: Seven Years in Brussels
Having given up the role of gallery owner, French expat Charles Riva who divides his time between New York and Brussels is celebrating his seventh anniversary as an art collector in Brussels with two shows, Un Voyage en Mer at the Riva Collection and Human Figure at the Riva Project. The show at the Collection juxtaposes Mr. Riva's collection of American artists with Belgian artists all on a ma...
3m Apr 24, 2016
3m
Journey West: migration through music
Telling the history of migration through music. Journey West are playing concerts in Ghent, Herentals and Asse from 26-30 April, including a guest performance from a Syrian musician. Noreen Donovan spoke to musical director Max Buckholtz to find out more about the project.www.journeywestmusic.com
3m Apr 24, 2016
3m
The Bulletin on Bruzz: an introduction
180 nationalities. 104 languages. More than 5,000 diplomats. We know Brussels is a truly international city. But who are the expats? Where are they from and why are they here? Here's a bit of an audio mosaic from our first 3 months of expat reports
2m Apr 24, 2016
2m
Independent Brussels: a new way to do art fairs
Intro: Independent Brussels is 300 artists, 60 galleries from over 30 countries but it's also a new way of organizing art fairs. After seven years in new York, Independent comes to Brussels. Co-director Olivier Pesret explains.http://independenthq.com/2016/brussels/
3m Apr 21, 2016
3m
Arthur Aillaud at La Forest Divonne
Lush landscapes, hard-edged architecture and subtly surreal figures: Welcome to the world of Arthur Aillaud. This French painter combines landscapes, architecture and figurative painting to create works that fit perfectly in the contemporary world but at the same time contain classical references and originality.Through May 28th. Gallerie La Forest Divonne rue de l'Hôtel des Monnaies 66www.gall...
3m Apr 19, 2016
3m
The Brussels Short Film Festival
300 films, 26 countries, numerous parties, National and International competitions, networking; workshops for kids: From April 27th to May 8th it's the 19th edition of the Brussels Short Film Festival. The festival which has become a leading force in uncovering new talent takes over 7 venues in Ixelles and Brussels City including an outdoor arena on the Mont des Arts/Kuntsberg where the shows a...
3m Apr 19, 2016
3m
Join the Frunch bunch
A terrace, deck chairs, DJs, table tennis and table football, and three different food trucks per week: It's time for Frunch, a Visit Brussels initiative that turns the staid Place Royale into a hip happening lunch spot every Friday from noon to 2:30pm through September 23rd. If the opening afternoon is any indication, this is a very popular event where meeting people is easy and fun and the fo...
3m Apr 19, 2016
3m
Rayguns Look Real Enough
"Spinal Tap meets Morecambe and Wise", Rayguns Look Real Enough are the self-proclaimed "world's greatest stadium rock band" combining character comedy with high-energy musical mash-ups, and a tiger costume. Catch them in Brussels on 19 April.
2m Apr 17, 2016
2m
Stovetrotter: a Canadian take on Belgian cuisine
A group of itinerant Canadian chefs have stopped off in Brussels to put on a special meal under the rotunda of the Galerie Ravenstein, using locally sourced ingredients -- Belgian food with a Canadian twist. It's this Saturday (16 April) at 8pm. Register at www.open-kitchen.eu
2m Apr 14, 2016
2m
Urban gardening in Brussels
Make your own food! Urban gardening is growing in popularity - and you don't need a vast garden to get started, just some pots on a balcony. Spring is the perfect time to get started. We visit Allan Howard, a Scotsman in Brussels who says the city has great potential.www.kitchen-garden.be
3m Apr 14, 2016
3m
A vast record collection in Brussels
This Saturday is Record Store Day, a worldwide celebration of independent record shops and physical music. So we're off to visit one of the biggest record collections in Europe. John is a Greek expat living in Brussels and working for the European parliament. He gives us a tour through his 80,000 records and CDs.
3m Apr 14, 2016
3m
Tribes.city - international house parties in Brussels
International house parties ... at a stranger's home. That's the idea behind Tribes.City, a new concept bringing together expats and Belgians alike here in Brussels. Our reporter Owen Stafford went along to one of the parties to find out more...
3m Apr 13, 2016
3m
Hopla! - Brussels is 'clown town'
It's the tenth edition of Hopla! The Festival of the Circus Arts this weekend in Brussels. Hopla! highlights the abundance and excellence of the circus arts available in Brussels, both in the streets and the performance venues with performers who are no longer limited to one specialty but are often clowns/acrobats/comics/magicians/singers etc. We speak with artists from Argentina, Croatia, Spai...
3m Apr 06, 2016
3m
Avi Goldstein: Speed Sisters
Speed Sisters is a documentary film telling the tale of the first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East. Screenings are at Flagey on 3, 5, 6 and 16 April. Producer Avi Goldstein tells us about the project, and how he's settling in Brussels
3m Apr 01, 2016
3m
Maz Jobrani: I'm not a terrorist, but I've played one on TV
American-Iranian funnyman Maz Jobrani, part of the "Axis of Evil Comedy Tour" after 9/11, is playing the Arenberg in Antwerp on 13 April with a hilarious stand-up show based on his book I'm Not A Terrorist, But I've Played One On TV. He's looking forward to coming back to Belgium. We spoke to him on the phone from Los Angeles.http://www.livecomedy.be
2m Apr 01, 2016
2m
The #Brusselsattacks memorial: Remembering and hoping
Immediately after the terror attacks, people gravitated to the Place de la Bourse in central Brussels to support each other and memorialize the victims. Here are a few of the voices. As a mirror to the fact that 40 nationalities are represented among the victims, the crowd at the Bourse was just as international. We hear from a Peruvian, an American, a Belgian and a Moroccan.
3m Mar 28, 2016
3m
Easter Sunday at the #BrusselsAttacks memorial
Richard Harris is on the phone from the Place de la Bourse, as a march planned for this afternoon was cancelled.#Brussels #BrusselsAttacks #BrusselsAlive
3m Mar 27, 2016
3m
Three Korean events in Brussels
There are currently three exhibitions featuring Korean artists taking place in Brussels. At the Comics Art Museum discover the world of Bad Girls by Ancco. In the magnificent Villa Empain it's Dansaekhwa and Korean Abstraction. And at the Korean Cultural Center you can uncover The Layers of Memory, the art of OH Seyeol.www.comicscenter.netwww.villaempain.comBrussels.korean-culture.org
3m Mar 26, 2016
3m
Brussels attacks: A British expat's view
Kate Havrlik has lived in Brussels since 1970 and works for the European Commission. Interviewed by FM Brussel's morning show, she gave her reaction to the attacks and says she'll keep recommending Brussels as a travel destination.
5m Mar 26, 2016
5m
Community Help Service: Geoff Brown
If you've been affected by the trauma of the Brussels attacks, CHS is there to listen and help. The Community Help Service provides a free and confidential 24-hour helpline for English-speakers in Brussels and also operates a mental health centre, offering a full range of services. Geoff Brown explains more
2m Mar 26, 2016
2m
Tips on bringing up multilingual children
Bilingualism is good for the brain and has proven advantages among children. And where better to bring up a bilingual child than here in Brussels? But what's the best way of teaching a child more than one language at once? We went to a talk at the ISF International School in Waterloo and asked VUB linguistics expert Professor Piet van de Craen what advice he would give to expat parents...
3m Mar 21, 2016
3m
Oxfam Peacewalker challenge around Flanders Fields
Walking boots at the ready... Could you manage 42 kilometres around Flanders Fields? In teams of 4. In under 10 hours. That's the challenge being set by the charity Oxfam. "Peacewalker" takes place on 14 May, along a route designed to mark 100 years since the war. They're appealing for French-speakers, Dutch-speakers and expats to unite and take part. It could even be a team-building day for yo...
2m Mar 17, 2016
2m
Eames & Hollywood (Movie Sets)
Famous the world over for their furniture design, Charles and Ray Eames were also prolific photographers (750,000 photos). ADAM's (Art & Design Atomium Museum) first temporary exhibition entitled Eames & Hollywood comprises 240 photos taken by the Eames on the sets and on location during the filming of their friend Billy Wilder's movies. The show features an Eames specialty, a three screen slid...
3m Mar 17, 2016
3m
BPS22: A hidden gem in Charleroi
Discovering this little known museum with the enigmatic name is a real treat, especially during the current exhibition Uchronies in the which the eclectic nature of the museum's collection is demonstrated to great effect. Curator Olivier Rollin has chosen pieces from the late 19th century to the present day, local, Belgian and international, to create a fascinating dialogue that changes our per...
3m Mar 14, 2016
3m
Rasoi: Indian lunch to your door
Two Indian brothers are offering traditional Indian lunchboxes delivered to your workplace - for a sociable lunch in groups of at least four. You receive a tiffin full of steaming hot curries made using old family methods, then they come and collect the dishes a couple of hours later. They deliver to Brussels, Ixelles and Saint-Gilles and their customers include ING, Belgacom and Oxfam. Our rep...
3m Mar 10, 2016
3m
Celebrating St Patrick's Day in Brussels
The Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels hosts its traditional St Patrick's Day party on 13 March from midday. Owen Stafford hears from organisers Paddy Donnelly, Colin Byrne and Jane Brennan. Meanwhile, in Kraainem, there's a weekend-long St Patrick's festival with a Flemish twist, as Noreen Donovan finds out from the team involved.
3m Mar 05, 2016
3m
Galician Gourmet Extravaganza
More than 100 food and drink producers from the Galicia region of Spain are arriving in Brussels today for a special show on Friday showing off their delicious produce to thousands of food experts in Belgium. We spoke to Dositeo Cela, the event's organiser, to find out what's special about Galician produce, and why they're in Brussels. www.gourmetextravaganza.com
2m Mar 03, 2016
2m
Greenlight for Girls
Each year at the International School of Brussels, Greenlight for Girls holds a special day especially made for young girls, ages 11 to 15, where they can explore and learn that science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is in everything around us and part of any career for their future. They learn new ideas, build their confidence and& skills – and just run amok in their decorated lab co...
3m Mar 02, 2016
3m
La Forest Divonne: Why a Parisian gallery chose to set up in Brussels
Is Brussels the new Berlin? Actually it's better since it unites all three essential ingredients of the art world: plenty of collectors, plenty of galleries and plenty of artists. Joining the crowd, esteemed Paris art gallery La Forest Divonne has recently opened a gallery in Brussels and is positioning itself as a warm and inviting, welcoming place. Richard Harris speaks with manager Jean de M...
3m Mar 02, 2016
3m
Cook4Chance: Helping refugees become web developers
Enjoy a great meal at someone's home ... and help refugees at the same time. That's the idea behind a new initiative called "Cook4Chance". It's a partnership between the meal-sharing platform Meetsies and an NGO called Kiron which is helping refugees learn coding to become web developers. How it works: Amateur chefs put on dinners at their home, and donate a % of the fee to Cook4Chance. Our rep...
3m Mar 02, 2016
3m
US elections / Super Tuesday: We meet Democrats Abroad Belgium
Americans will elect a new president on November 8th - and "Super Tuesday" next week is a crucial day for all of the candidates. Democrat voters in Belgium can have their say in person at several polling events in Brussels. Mike Michener, chair of Democrats Abroad Belgium, says it's one of the closest-fought elections we've seen in a long time.
3m Feb 24, 2016
3m
Brussels Football European Cup
Here's a chance for you to see Paris-Saint-Germain, Juventus and Manchester City ... without travelling any further than Schaerbeek. The Brussels Football European Cup (26-29 March) brings together about 200 of the best youth football teams (kids aged 8/9/10) from across Europe - and even China. It's a truly international event - an opportunity to see some very promising future football talent,...
2m Feb 23, 2016
2m
This Is Not Europe - 120 Press Cartoons
A new exhibition in Mons looks at some of the big issues facing Europe today - as seen by 52 newspaper cartoonists from 29 countries. Richard Harris speaks with Russian cartoonist Zlatkovsky, French cartoonist Plantu and British-French-Australian cartoonist Nicolas Vadot, who is the curator of the exhibition. www.monsmemorialmuseum.mons.be’
3m Feb 22, 2016
3m
Surviving an EU summit in Brussels: A journalist's guide
It's been a long slog for journalists covering David Cameron's negotiations at an EU summit in Brussels. What's the atmosphere like in the press room? Is there enough coffee? How do you survive the long nights of waiting? Owen Stafford asked fellow journalists for their tips and experiences.
3m Feb 20, 2016
3m
Fukko: A charity concert for Japan
March 11th will be the 5th anniversary of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami which triggered the Fukushima disaster. Every year since then, a charity concert called "Fukko" (Japanese for 'reconstruction') has been organised here in Brussels. The event's founder is Japanese violinist Yuzuko Horigome. She explains more about the fundraising event.Fukko at Flagey, 11th March, 8pm. www.fukkojapan.be’
3m Feb 17, 2016
3m
Discovering new Belgian music at Trix in Antwerp
For the past eight years, Antwerp music venue Trix has been known as one of the go-to places to see up-and-coming Belgian music talent. They hold an annual music festival called We Are Open, with the aim of helping lesser-known bands take the final step and try to gain a whole new audience. Our reporter Graham Eyre spoke to event organiser Frederik Bastiansen.
2m Feb 16, 2016
2m
Newcomer diary: Jennifer Rankin (UK)
Jennifer Rankin is the new Brussels correspondent for The Guardian newspaper. She's lived in Brussels before, but is now back again and has noticed some changes since she was last here.
3m Feb 14, 2016
3m
Meetsies: Make new friends over a home-cooked meal
If you're new to Brussels and don't speak the local languages but want to meet people, Meetsies, which combines meeting people with great food might be what you have been looking for. Richard Harris finds out what it's all about with organizers Ségo Martin and Zoë King. If you want to participate as either a cook or a diner: www.meetsies.com
3m Feb 14, 2016
3m