What's on this week: 26 January-1 February

The Ghent Light Festival (pictured) starts next Wednesday with a new expanded route that adds an industrial landmark to the historical centre and the arts quarter. The festival is always a big hit as international light artists outdo each other with surprises, ingenious installations, spectacular performances and beauty.
31 January-4 February, 19.00-midnight

As part of the Baltic Sea festival and to celebrate the centenary of the Republic of Estonia, this weekend is Arvo Pärt Weekend at Flagey, during which the stripped-down minimalist music of the celebrated contemporary composer will be offered for your discovery. Additionally, as part of the weekend the new digital choir SMing will be accessible and free to the general public. This project allows the public to be both member of the choir and leader - with a baton in your hand you will be able to see yourself direct the choir on digital screens which will represent the different parts of the choir.

In March the Musée d’Ixelles is closing for four years for extensive renovations and they will be holding a closing bash - but in the meantime, on next Thursday 1 February, they are offering us a free Nocturne in which the whole museum, permanent and temporary exhibitions will be open to all. There are also guided tours available but they require preregistration and the HOP Lab requires registration at reception on the evening.
1 February, 17.00-20.00

On Friday evening it’s Videographies III at the Jacques Franck Cultural Centre in Saint-Gilles. The third-year students of the Videography Section of the Agnès Varda School of Photography and Visual Techniques will be presenting 10 videos (documentary, fiction, or experimental) as well as video installations. Reservations mandatory at mail@rcoleagnesvarda.be
26 January, Installations accessible from 18.00, screenings at 20.00

Starting on Monday it’s the eighth Semaine du Son (Week of Sound) in Brussels. The 20 venues include public spaces (Flagey, Botanique, MIM, City Hall, Muntpunt etc) as well as private and unusual or strange locations. Dedicated to sensitising the citizen to the quality of our acoustic environment, the event includes a day dedicated to John Cage, exhibitions, workshops, radiophonic projects, audio and silent circuits through the city and concerts. Additionally there is audio art and audio landscapes.
29 January-4 February, free but reservations recommended

Art Truc Troc & Design at Bozar was a hit from the beginning. 300 works of art are on display but they are not for sale for money, they are for sale through barter. People looking to acquire the art leave a post-it by the work of art describing what goods, services or accommodations they are offering. The event now includes design and entertainment as well as children’s activities.
26-28 January, Bozar

Propulse Festival is essentially a trade show presenting performing artists from Wallonia and Brussels to those people booking acts both in Belgium and abroad, but there are also three nights of concerts open to the general public featuring jazz, rock, pop, folk, electro and French chanson. At Botanique and Flagey.

The new exhibition opening at MIMA this Friday is entitled Wonderland or The Art of Rebellion and features Swedish artists Akay and Olabo who take us on forbidden explorations of abandoned locations. The visitor must solve puzzles to make it to the end.

BRAFA, the Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair, is one of the oldest of its kind in the world and features jewellery, furniture and other antiques, tribal art, oriental art, engravings, old and modern paintings, contemporary art, books and photographs. The high quality of the offer is maintained by a valuation committee and whether you are a serious collector or a curious visitor an enriching time is guaranteed.
27 January-4 February, Tour & Taxis

On Friday, Fermenthings - "the first place 100% about fermentation in Belgium" - is presenting an evening dedicated to discovering the variety and quality of artisanal sake. Making sake is an ancestral art where time, tradition and savoir-faire are used to turn water, yeast and rice into an elixir. An expert will guide you through the tastings which will also feature other liquors made from fermented Japanese products such as miso, daikon, and umeboshi.
26 January, 19.00

To kick off the European Year of Cultural Heritage, Tour of Sites Organisation is putting on one of their spectacular video-mapping and live artistic performances events at the Grand-Place with the City Hall as main canvas. This one is called A Thousand Reflections of Europe: A Full 3D Show and will be performed next Wednesday. The show lasts 20 minutes and will play every half hour from 19.00-22.30. The first show will be in English, the second in French and the third in Dutch with that rotation continuing through the evening.
31 January, Grand-Place

After more than six months, this week is the last chance to go to the Comic Strip Museum to see the work of ZiDrou. The multi-talented creator began writing satirical strips around the character Ducobu around 1992, which was only the beginning of many more characters and emotive stories.The museum is offering this exhibit of ZiDrou’s, and other Spanish illustrators, until 28 January.
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10.00-18.00, from €7