STREET BAZ'ART

7% of street artists are women. No small thing, in a world where you literally have to hold your own. Brussels deliberately puts the focus on them — and so do we. We tell their story: why it's harder to get a foothold, which feminist influences you'll find in the work, and what those walls say when you look closely.

You'll find the Lichtzoekers (light seekers) on façades, in unexpected corners of Brussels. On this walk you go looking for them, get to know the story behind the characters, and learn how they come to life. You get a look behind the scenes of the creative process — and finish with a personal meeting with the artist in his studio. A walk for anyone curious about the city and the people who shape it.

Street art is taking off in plenty of neighbourhoods, and Forest is no exception. We explore the area around the Forest stations (Forest-East and Forest-South) and run into a few unexpected gems along the way.

We walk through the heart of Brussels — from the Grand-Place and the Saint-Hubert Galleries to Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Géry and the Stock Exchange. Familiar places, but with a layer most people never see. Illegal art next to official city initiatives, sometimes just metres apart. Not all that familiar with Brussels yet? Perfect moment to get to know the city in a way that's different from the start.

The Marolles has always had a language of its own — and in 2019 that found its way onto the walls too. Since then plenty of artists have joined in, sometimes with a social message. Which fits a neighbourhood that never beat around the bush. Not all that familiar with Brussels yet? Perfect moment to get to know the city in a way that's different from the start.

Laeken and street art — it sounds like a mismatch. But that's exactly where the charm is. Under the radar, away from the touristy spots the area is known for, the discoveries pile up. A different side of Laeken, with an atmosphere that just feels right.

From the canal to the Fish Market — two neighbourhoods that could hardly be further apart. Along the way you'll see the rawest, most spontaneous side of street art in Brussels. Little that's official, plenty of character.