A joyful re-encounter

Published on 8 January '26 - Lotte Poté

Five artists returning to Bozar in 2026

In 2026, Bozar will welcome a series of major names who may feel instantly familiar. Yet none of them can walk the halls of the Centre for Fine Arts today. Through exhibitions, concerts, and festivals, these artists and composers return posthumously to a place that once inspired them—or marked a turning point in their careers.

1. John Baldessari: an artistic homecoming

American artist John Baldessari first gained recognition not in the US, but in Europe, and Brussels played a key role. Between 1972 and 1974, he held three solo exhibitions at Galerie MTL, and from 1989 onwards he exhibited regularly at Galerie Meert Rihoux, later Galerie Greta Meert. Up until his death in 2020, he remained closely connected to the Brussels art scene.

In 1988, the Centre for Fine Arts hosted John Baldessari: Recent Works. Now, his exhibition Parables, Fables and Other Tall Tales can be seen at Bozar until 1 February. Curator David Platzker has no doubt that Baldessari would have seen this new presentation as a true homecoming: a return to a city that was close to his heart.

Nadia Boulanger at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in 1970 ©BozarArchives

Programme booklet of the concert in 1970 ©BozarArchives

2 & 3. Nadia and Lili Boulanger: sisters, pioneers, sources of inspiration

On International Women’s Day, Bozar turns its focus to Nadia Boulanger, a towering figure in the history of music. As a teacher, pianist and conductor, she left an indelible mark on 20th-century music. Her younger sister Lili Boulanger is also given pride of place. Despite fragile health and her early death at the age of just 24, Lili left behind a remarkably rich body of work. In 1913, she became the first woman ever to be awarded the Prix de Rome.

The Centre for Fine Arts holds a special place in this story. As early as 1970, Lili Boulanger’s oeuvre was commemorated there with an exhibition and a concert, conducted by none other than Nadia Boulanger herself. On 8 March 2026, Bozar will pay a rich tribute to Nadia Boulanger with an ambitious organ concert by the Belgian National Orchestra, followed by an intimate song recital with Lucile Richardot and Anne de Fornel.

Programme booklet of the concert in 1928 ©BozarArchives

Statue of Bartók in Brussels

4. Béla Bartók: always close

A statue of Béla Bartók stands on the Place d'Espagne, just a stone’s throw from Bozar. Whether the Hungarian composer ever visited the Centre for Fine Arts himself is unclear. Yet on 19 November 1928, the opening concert of Chamber Music Hall M featured his First Sonata for Violin and Piano, a symbolic presence.

In the years that followed, Bartók spent more time in Brussels, partly as a refuge from the rise of fascism elsewhere in Europe. Almost a century later, the renovated Hall M reopens, with Bartók at the centre of the Bartók Festival. The Belgian National Orchestra, Áron Horváth, and Ictus will explore all facets of his oeuvre.

5. Luc Brewaeys: returning after 22 years

In 2026, Klarafestival will honour Belgian composer Luc Brewaeys, who passed away in 2015. From 2003 to 2004, he was Composer in Residence at Bozar and a central figure of Ars Musica. More than two decades later, his music returns to the Palace.

Brewaeys was known for his uncompromising musical language. This was evident in 2011, when he composed the compulsory piece for the Queen Elisabeth Competition for Voice. Speechless Song, set to a Shakespeare poem, was deemed too complex by the jury and omitted from the competition programme. It was performed instead at the Ars Musica closing concert by soprano Laure Delcampe. Brewaeys could not attend that evening due to illness, making his posthumous return in 2026 all the more poignant.