AGP Executive Report

Live Music: Brussels is on Ayra Starr’s 2027 tour itinerary: the Afrobeats star will bring her Starrgirl World Tour to the city during its European leg. Cultural Landmark: Ancienne Belgique is set for a new chapter. A Stirling Prize-finalist architecture firm will plan updates to the historic venue, aiming to expand it into a year-round “House of Music” while preserving its character. Art & Memory: Mark Hogancamp’s Marwencol—a handmade miniature village inspired by Belgium—grew from a personal recovery project into an internationally exhibited artwork. Belgian Flavours: Ostend’s shrimp croquette festival drew more than 84,000 visitors and sold over 60,000 croquettes, setting records for its sixth edition. Art in Bruges: A new monograph explores Refik Anadol’s AI-powered installations, created from city archives and shown at Bruges’ BRUSK gallery.

Belgian Tennis: Zizou Bergs scored the biggest win of his career in Shanghai, beating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets and reaching the tournament’s fourth round. Culture & Innovation: Charleroi is among the first cities to receive WIPO’s new City of Innovation award, recognising its plans to support research, creative industries and links between universities and businesses. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde explored Kazakh cultural heritage and joined a forum on education and research, where Belgian and Kazakh universities signed cooperation agreements. Education & Society: A Belgian teacher was dismissed after refusing to remove her headscarf, prompting renewed debate over religious expression in schools. Public Life: Unions and students took to the streets across Belgium over austerity, education cuts and climate policy; a Brussels transport strike also disrupted metro, tram and bus services.

Brussels Unrest: Ten people, including nine minors, were arrested after clashes near Brussels-Midi on Monday, as protests over education cuts and austerity continued. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde explored Kazakhstan’s heritage in Astana, where a museum exhibition also featured Belgian artist James Ensor. Belgian Tennis: Zizou Bergs scored the biggest win of his career, knocking Carlos Alcaraz out of the Shanghai Masters. Culture & Innovation: Charleroi was named one of the first WIPO Cities of Innovation, an award celebrating cities’ plans to foster creativity. Higher Education: Belgian doctoral candidates ranked third for starting pay in a 26-country survey, at about €50,800 a year.

Belgian Tennis: Zizou Bergs stunned world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in Shanghai, winning 7-5, 7-6 to claim the biggest victory of his career. Culture & Innovation: Charleroi was named one of the first WIPO Cities of Innovation, alongside Liverpool and Shanghai, for plans to nurture creativity and new ideas. On Stage: Antwerp’s hetpaleis hosts GLORIOUS BODIES on 18 October, a circus-and-dance show featuring six acrobats aged 56 to 68. Public Life: Tens of thousands joined an anti-austerity march in Brussels, with transport disrupted and clashes reported; unions are building toward a general strike in November. Cultural Exchange: Kazakhstan’s flag was raised at Brussels’ Grand-Place during events celebrating ties between the two countries.

Daily Disruptions: A nationwide public-sector strike disrupted trains, buses, schools, broadcasting, postal services and waste collection across Belgium on Monday. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde’s historic Kazakhstan visit is putting cultural exchange in the spotlight, with plans linking Belgian and Kazakh museums, universities and cultural institutions, including an exhibition of James Ensor’s work. At-Home Culture: BBC Lifestyle and EastEnders channels are coming to Belgium on Samsung TV Plus, adding food, travel, design and British drama to its free streaming lineup. Belgian Sporting Moment: Zizou Bergs stunned Carlos Alcaraz in Shanghai, scoring the biggest win of his career at the Masters tournament. Luxury Scene: The Zoute Concours auction in Knokke-Heist set a Belgian record, selling €34.6 million worth of collector cars.

Belgian Cinema: Cairo’s 47th International Film Festival will feature Belgian-linked films, including Heysel 85, Strawberries and The Green Eyes; Belgian director Laura Wandel will also join the jury. Music & Exchange: Brussels Philharmonic opened its season with Qatari composer Nasser Sahim’s works, blending Arab musical traditions with orchestral sound. Built Heritage: A new look at Belgium’s post-war modernism spotlights striking designs at risk of neglect or demolition. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are due to open an exhibition of Belgian painter James Ensor’s work during their Kazakhstan state visit. Belgian Flavours: A look at how Lotus’s speculoos became the Biscoff cookie now served around the world.

Music & Cultural Exchange: The Brussels Philharmonic opened its 25th season with Qatari composer Nasser Sahim’s original works, blending Arab musical traditions with contemporary orchestral sound. Belgian Heritage: A new feature makes the case for preserving Belgium’s often-overlooked post-war modernist architecture, from Brussels’ futuristic Pannenhuis station to Hugo Van Kuyck’s buildings. Film: Belgian cinema is in the spotlight at Cairo’s International Film Festival: Heysel 85 and The Green Eyes are in competition, while director Laura Wandel joins the jury. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde begin a state visit to Kazakhstan, where they are due to open an exhibition of Belgian artist James Ensor’s work and meet students. Food Culture: The story of Biscoff traces how Lotus Bakeries’ Belgian coffee biscuit went from a local favourite to an international hit.

Brussels Protests: Friday’s anti-austerity march drew about 30,000 people, while separate clashes near the central station saw masked youths throw rocks and firecrackers and set fires. Police used tear gas and water cannons; prosecutors say 21 people, including 17 minors, were detained. Ghent’s Creative Scene: The city’s architectural mix—from medieval landmarks to Brutalist design—gets fresh attention as its Design Museum reopens, alongside galleries and cultural spaces in converted buildings. Crossing Cultures: Brussels Philharmonic opened its 25th season with Qatari composer Nasser Sahim’s music, blending Arab traditions and European orchestral sounds with musicians from Qatar. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde begin a visit to Kazakhstan, where an exhibition of Belgian artist James Ensor is among the cultural events; the programme also includes a stop at a children’s rehabilitation centre. Belgian Wellness Heritage: The word “spa” comes from the Belgian town, famed for its healing springs—not, as a popular myth suggests, from a Latin phrase.

Brussels Protests: Around 30,000 people marched against rising costs and planned budget cuts, while clashes between police and groups of masked protesters disrupted transport and public services. Union leaders said the rioters were not part of their peaceful march. Theatre & Identity: Belgium-based artist Jaha Koo has won the International Ibsen Award. His touring show Haribo Kimchi explores belonging and cultural identity through food, performance and a robotic eel. Ghent Design: With the city’s Design Museum reopening, a new architecture guide spotlights Ghent’s mix of medieval landmarks, modernist buildings and experimental galleries. Wellness Heritage: The word “spa” comes from the Belgian town famed for its healing springs—not, as a popular myth claims, a Latin phrase for health through water.

Street Protests: Tens of thousands joined Brussels’ union-led march against austerity and rising costs, with students and teachers also protesting education cuts and tuition hikes. The main march was peaceful, but masked groups clashed with police near stations; unions said they were not part of the rally. Fashion: Belgian designer Anthony Vaccarello has left Saint Laurent after a decade, marked by dramatic shows and a major influence on the house’s image. Belgian Cinema: Patrice Toye’s The Assignment, a drama about a traumatised teenager in post-war Flanders, will premiere in competition at Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival in November. City Life: Ghent ranked ninth worldwide for quality of life in a 2026 index, making it the highest-ranked Belgian city. Travel: A new 2028 river-cruise itinerary will take visitors through Holland and Belgium, with stops including Bruges and Antwerp.

Street Protests: Students joined Belgium’s anti-austerity strike, as demonstrations over education cuts turned tense in Brussels and Liège; police used tear gas and water cannon, and more than 100 people were arrested in Liège. Belgian Fashion: Designer Anthony Vaccarello is leaving Saint Laurent after a decade, during which he helped grow the house and shape its distinctive look. Cycling and Wellbeing: Belgian rider Robin Orins, 24, is retiring after struggles with physical exhaustion and mental health, saying he wants to find fulfilment beyond racing. Science: Belgian-American physicist Francis Halzen won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on cosmic neutrinos. Royal Visit: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde head to Kazakhstan for the first Belgian state visit to Central Asia, with a James Ensor exhibition among the cultural events.

Student Protests: Demonstrations over education costs and conditions have shaken Liège, with 107 arrests reported. The city has banned demonstrations for at least nine days and limited gatherings to three people. Brussels Culture: A new exhibition at ULB marks 160 years of Belgium-Japan ties with two installations, on view until December 17. Flemish Film: Plans to scrap the Screen Flanders film incentive have alarmed the region’s industry. Belgian Music: Dressed Like Boys and Camille Yembe feature among Europe’s most-booked emerging acts, with 10 and six festival bookings respectively. Design: Design Museum Gent has opened a new wing to the public.

Student Unrest: Protests over education costs, crowded classrooms and cuts have escalated in Liège, where 107 people were arrested and parts of the city centre disrupted. The demonstrations echo France’s school protests, but Belgian students point to local tuition reforms and dwindling learning resources. Film & Culture: Flanders will scrap Screen Flanders from 2027 as part of budget cuts. The incentive has supported 251 productions since 2012, generating an estimated €8 in local spending for every euro invested. What’s On: Brussels’ Festival des Libertés runs until 17 October with concerts, theatre, films and talks. Atoma Art Center in Forest is showing the 10 finalists in the ArtContest contemporary art competition through 22 November.

Student Protests: Hundreds took to the streets in Liège over rising education costs, crowded classrooms and scarce study materials, echoing protests in France. Local media reported more than 100 arrests; tuition in French-speaking Belgium is set to rise from €835 to €1,194 for most students. Church and Privacy: A Belgian dispute over whether a man can have his baptismal-register entry erased is before the EU’s top court. An adviser says data-protection law may allow deletion if the Church cannot justify keeping the information; the bishops warn of consequences for church records. Belgian Cinema: Paris-based mk2 Films has acquired 20 films by Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, including Rosetta and The Child, expanding its archive of European cinema. Arts Funding: Flemish cultural funding faces pressure, with Screen Flanders reportedly set to be cut and Brussels’ Bozar arts centre poised to lose Flemish subsidies.

Student Protests: Liège has recorded 107 arrests since the start of October as students protest education reforms, higher transport costs and crowded classrooms. Police used tear gas after fires and property damage, while officials say violent offences will face prosecution. Screen & Arts Funding: Flanders plans to end Screen Flanders’ production fund in January, despite its reported €8 return in local spending for every euro invested. Brussels arts centre Bozar is also set to lose Flemish subsidies under budget cuts. Belgian Science: Belgian-American physicist Francis Halzen won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on cosmic neutrinos and the IceCube observatory. Ghent Design: Design Museum Gent has opened a new wing, expanding the city’s showcase for design. Tea Culture: Brussels’ Flagey hosted the Ceylon Tea Festival, where visitors sampled seven regional black teas and learned about Sri Lanka’s tea traditions.

Belgium-France Education Protests: Student demonstrations over school conditions and funding cuts spread from France into Belgium, with Liege seeing arrests, vandalism and clashes as pupils blockaded schools and demanded better facilities and schedules. Belgian Church Debate: Antwerp bishop Johan Bonny warns that without Vatican approval for married priests by 2028, it would be a “fatal blow” to the synodal process—he says he’s already training “viri probati.” Belgian Culture on Screen: Belgium’s Oscar submission “Coward” (Lucas Dhont) lands in the spotlight at the American French Film Festival’s 30th anniversary lineup in Los Angeles, alongside other international contenders. Design & Lifestyle: Ghent design museum’s new wing opens to the public, while Seoul’s Design Miami at DDP highlights how design, fashion and contemporary art keep turning into global lifestyle magnets. Travel & Lifestyle: European Sleeper launches a Brussels–Como/Milan overnight service, pitching sleeper trains as a more relaxing, greener alternative to short-haul flights. Science & Public Health: A Russian lab worker’s death sparked plague rumours, but European health authorities say there’s no sign of sustained person-to-person transmission.