Brussels in English

La Maison des Arts in Schaerbeek is a truly hidden, hidden Brussels gem.A short dark alley  takes you just steps from dusty Chaussée de Haecht and suddenly you are in a bucolic scene, a two hundred year old manor house with a lovely garden.. The manor house is celebrating its bicentenary with two shows (Au jardin & Habiter la Maison) featuring sixteen artists. In addition to the shows there is a complete schedule of family activities and could there be a murder mystery afoot with corpses popping up in the parlor and the library? We spoke with Belgo-Japanese artist Michiko Van de Velde about her contribution to the shows. Free entry.Through 15/11/26lamaisondesarts.be

Home to citizens of over 184 countries, Brussels is replete with expats creating a deep cosmopolitan aspect to life here. We spoke with Alexandra Templeton, who has been in Brussels for 7 years, about her expat journey.www.allytfit.com

Almost 100 years ago, prolific Belgian architect Joseph Diongre designed a modernist masterpiece, a house known as the Withuis for its white façade. He designed everything from the architecture to the furniture and even the garden . The same family occupied the house for 91 years and the new owner has had the house completely restored. Until November 22 the public will be able to see it both inside and out during guided tours organized by Arkadia. Restoration architect Frédéric Goeminne tells us what was involved.www.arkadia.be 

If you like art and nature and want to take advantage of the lovely autumn weather this is the perfect day long getaway. Butor is a new biennial outdoor art event taking place in the village of Molenbaix near Tournai. A twenty acre property with spectacular views is the location for over two dozen artworks from as many artists that examine or question the relationships between art and nature. Armed with a map the visitor follows a path through fields, a chapel, a barn, a pond, a church and even a football pitch. If you're feeling peckish after the 3 kilometre trail there is a starred restaurant on site.Through 4 October 2026butor-biennale.be

The annual comic book festival is one of the most popular events in Brussels so the announcement that it would not be held this year was very bad news. For many years in the Royal Park and then in the Gare Maritime at Tour & Taxis the festival drew people from far and wide, but now it was off the schedule. Stepping in to save the day, Didier Wauters, Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs for the City of Brussels pulled together a coalition of the very willing. The festival will take place after all, but the location has changed; it's in the central city in and around the Bourse. Mr. Wauters gives us the details.https://www.lepietonnier.com/en/bd-comic-strip-festival/