What’s on this week: 22-28 September

When it’s Spain’s turn to serve as president of the Council of the European Union, you certainly know it. The cultural program is vast, colourful and daring, and one of the highlights when it comes to the fine arts is Nuevo Nouveau, an exhibition of work by Valencia artist and designer Jaime Hayon. A true re-inventor of art nouveau for the 21st century – from poetic objects to animated paintings to vibrant interiors – he pushes the boundaries between art, decoration and design, imbuing it all with an incredibly positive energy. 22 September to 27 January, MAD Brussels, Place du Nouveau Marché aux Grains 10

Calling all polyglots! Peak behind the scenes of the multilingual European Parliament as it celebrates Multilingualism Day 2023. A packed programme of activities includes workshops (registration necessary) about working as a linguist at the parliament on Friday, while on Saturday (10.00-18.00), there’s opportunities to meet translators and interpreters, play language games, test your skills in an interpretation booth of the famous hemicycle and record the news in one of the 24 official EU languages (free entrance). 22 & 23 September, Paul-Henri Spaak Building, Rue Wiertz 60

Launching its new cultural season, Infini Théâtre is staging three performances of Le Décaméron with the final evening promising to be a festive affair with dinner during the interval. A series of workshops for children and adults accompany the presentation of the Italian short stories, adapted and directed by Dominique Serron. A photo exhibition by Pierre Bolle offers highlights from the company’s last 10 years of shows. 21-23 September, Théâtre Molière, Square du Bastion 3 (Ixelles)

Literary fiends are in for a treat at Le Poetik Bazar, a unique contemporary poetry market that's also celebrating Multilingualism Day on Saturday. For the third edition, a vibrant international programme encompasses readings, talks, concerts, workshops and other activities. More than 70 publishing houses will be present, and the Canadian province of Quebec is the event’s special guest. 22-24 September, Les Halles de Schaerbeek, Rue Royale Sainte-Marie 22A (Schaerbeek)

Full Circle international club’s first conversation salon of the new season is Whiteness & European Identity. Hans Kundnani, fellow at the Chatham House think tank in London and author of several books, including the new Eurowhiteness, enters into conversation with The Times economy editor Mehreen Khan to confront the relationship between ideas of Europe and ideas of race. Kundnani will also be the subject of Full Circle’s Catalyst hour, targeted at young people. Catalyst 17.15-18.15, Salon 18.30-20.30, 22 September, 89 Chaussée de Vleurgat (Ixelles)

Looking for a stylish piece of furniture or object to grace your interior? Then the Brussels Design Market at Tour & Taxis’ refurbished Gare Maritime is for you. As one of the biggest European vintage and design markets, it specialises in timeless 20th-century styles. More than 150 international dealers will be selling their finest wares. 23 & 24 September, Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port 86C

Celebrate the vibrant and diverse culture of Maharashtra at the Festival Ganeshostav on Saturday evening. Everyone is invited to join in event that boasts dance performances, the rhythmic beats of Dhol Tasha and Lezhim, a clay making workshop to learn the art of sculpting Ganesha idols, and last but not least, a feast of Maharashtrian cuisine replete with a variety of traditional dishes. 23 September 18.00-21.00, Rue Saint-Lambert 91 (Woluwe-Saint-Lambert)

Entertaining street theatre, from zany circus acts and daring acrobatics to family-friendly theatricals are all happening at the Fêtes Romanes ‘23 this weekend. The festival at Wolubilis is part of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s annual celebrations and offers a busy and mixed programme for all ages. 23 & 24 September, Cours Paul Spaak 1 (Woluwe-Saint-Lambert)

It's Lights, Camera, Magic! this year at the Korean Film Festival, with a programme that emphasises the mysterious, miraculous worlds evoked by the movies. The festival includes new films as well as highlights from the last 20 years of Korean cinema, one of the greatest cinema cultures in the world. Check out the opening film Phantom, a stylish spy thriller set in the 1930s (pictured), and certainly Oldboy – one of the classics of recent Korean cinema – in which an average man is released from bondage after 15 years with no idea who kidnapped him or why. 27 September to 5 October, Bozar & Cinema Galeries

Outside Brussels

Spend your lunch hour in Antwerp’s beautiful St Augustine Church, long ago transformed into a concert hall with optimal acoustics. The noon-time concert series taking place in the venue features chamber music from home and abroad. Grab a coffee ahead of time or a bowl of soup with bread following the concert in the unique neo-Byzantine foyer. Season and half-season tickets are available. Pictured: Jolente De Maeyer and Nikolaas Kende (violin and piano) who are performing on 22 September. Fridays until 14 June, Kammenstraat 81, Antwerp

Tom D Jones is the only Belgian known as a Hasselblad Master, a biennial award bestowed on the greatest use of the medium-format Hasselblad cameras. His exhibition of more than 50 large-scale works in Knokke shows the depth of lighting and resolution of which the cameras are capable. True Wildlife is the result of seven years of travels through national parks in Africa. 23 September to 12 November, CC Scharpoord, Knokke-Heist

More than 600 works of art are for sale at Art Meets Nature, staged in the castle, greenhouses and open-air spaces of the Meise Botanic Garden. There are paintings, sculptures, photography and ceramics by local and international artists, including some big names in both contemporary and 20th-century art, such as Roger Raveel, Panamarenko, Karel Appel and Pierre Alechinsky. Proceeds from sales go to Meise’s educational programmes for children as well as other local children’s charities. 22-24 September, Nieuwelaan 38, Meise

The ancient city of Mari was one of the principle treasures of the Mesopotamian civilisation. Mari en Syrie. Renaissance d'une cité au 3ème millénaire is an invitation to discover some of the riches of the Middle-Eastern site that lies in the southeast of present-day Syria. In the exhibitio, follow the archaeological expeditions that revealed this cradle of culture. Until 7 January, Mariemont Museum, Chaussée de Mariemont 100, Morlanwelz (Hainaut)

Book now Lanterna Magica RTL: an autumn symphony at château de La Hulpe The third edition of this autumn family adventure illuminates the enchanting setting of the stately home domain. A brand new nature route with 1001 surprises is just one part of the sensory experience that incorporates magical lighting, special projections and digital technology. A shuttle bus operates between La Hulpe train station and the site. From 20 October, Domaine du Château de la Hulpe, Chaussée de Bruxelles 100 (Brabant Walloon)

Photos: (main image) ©Jaime Hayon, courtesy MAD; Le Decameron ©Pierre Bolle; Brussels Design Market ©Thibault Feyaerts; ©Tom D Jones; Meise ©Jean-Pol Grandmont; MRM-MARI ©Musée Royal de Mariemont