Art Brussels 2026 – 42nd edition: a more focused, curatorially driven fair with new key players
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Preview and vernissage: Thursday 23 April 2026
Public days: Friday 24 April – Sunday 26 April 2026
Art Brussels 2026: a more focused, curatorially driven fair
Art Brussels announces its 42nd edition, taking place from Thursday 23 April to Sunday 26 April 2026. As one of Europe’s most distinctive and established fairs, Art Brussels will be held for the fourth time in Halls 5 and 6 of Brussels Expo, the Art Deco landmark built for the 1935 Brussels International Exposition.
Art Brussels 2026 embraces a clear shift this year towards more focused, legible fairs in which the quality of the experience prevails over quantity. Rather than growing in size, the fair has chosen to further refine its profile and present a more concentrated, more demanding edition that places art, and the collector’s gaze and experience firmly at the centre.
The selection committee has adopted a “quality first” approach, intentionally reducing the number of participating galleries. Instead of the usual one and a half halls, the fair will now be concentrated in a single space: Hall 5, facing the Atomium, with stricter selection criteria ensuring a highly curated experience. Hall 6 will be transformed into an exhibition space dedicated to the new section Horizons, an artistic project by Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and a comfortable catering area to relax and socialise.
This results in 136 galleries, which is 29 (or 18%) fewer than in the previous edition from 27 countries. More importantly, however, it results in a clearer, more readable layout that encourages collectors and visitors to focus more deeply on the galleries’ presentations. 67% (versus 61% in 2025) of the exhibitors are returning exhibitors. A more compact format also means less visual fatigue and more scope for meaningful encounters and high-quality dialogue.
New: The Horizons section
One of the major innovations in 2026 is the new Horizons section. Selected by Devrim Bayar, senior curator at Kanal–Centre Pompidou in Brussels, Horizons will feature a strong scenography built around five largescale works. These ambitious pieces will be installed in Hall 6, alongside the extensive catering area. This space of “breathing and reflection” embodies Art Brussels’ curatorial ambition: to offer a structured, rigorous perspective on bold contemporary propositions.
List of artists participating:
- Elen Braga by Wouters Gallery, Brussels (Belgium)
- Ymen Berhouma by A. Gorgi Gallery, Sidi Bou Said (Tunesia)
- Jacqueline de Jong by Dürst Britt & Mayew, The Hague (Netherlands)
- Pao Hui Kao by Spazio Nobile Gallery, Brussels (Belgium)
- Aglaia Konrad by Nadja Vilenne, Liège (Belgium)
An international fair rooted in a dynamic local scene
While celebrating its 42nd edition and as the secondoldest contemporary art fair (Art Cologne was founded in 1967, one year before Art Brussels), Art Brussels remains one of Europe’s leading contemporary art fairs and a highlight of the international artspring calendar. Thanks to its rich history, vibrant energy, diverse communities and thriving arts scene, Brussels has in recent years become Europe’s epicentre of contemporary art and one of the world’s most exciting creative cities. CNN recently featured Brussels as one of its top 20 destinations for 2026 praising the artistic hub.
“Art Brussels 2026 will be a more refined and focussed version of its previous editions, while maintaining its international profile. We do not believe one has to choose between local anchoring and a global outlook: both are essential to our identity. This year, 29% of our galleries are Belgian, within a lineup spanning 27 countries – a clear sign of the strength of the local scene and our place in a fully internationalised market.
Belgium may be small, but it is exceptionally well connected. Brussels, as capital of Belgium and of Europe, offers easy access for international visitors and professionals, which remains a key asset for Art Brussels.”
— Nele Verhaeren, managing director, Art Brussels & Art Antwerp
New initiatives at the fair
- The Horizons section (see above)
- Exclusive VIP preview and cocktail
An exclusive VIP preview and cocktail will offer collectors, curators and professionals the opportunity to discover the fair in an intimate setting and to engage with galleries and artists ahead of the public opening.
- Art Advisory Desk
Building on the success of Art Antwerp, Art Brussels will introduce an Art Advisory Desk offering personalised guidance for potential buyers. The desk is there to inform, reassure and help visitors navigate the fair with confidence. It is also, in a sense, a political gesture: making contemporary art more accessible and legible, and ensuring that the fair is not an intimidating space reserved for a select few, but a place where commercial, intellectual and emotional exchanges can unfold in a more open and horizontal way.
Unveiling the first artistic projects on top of the galleries proposals
- Entrance installation by Natasja Mabesoone
Belgian artist Natasja Mabesoone, represented by Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, is invited to create a site-specific installation at the entrance of the fair, setting the tone for this renewed, curatorially ambitious edition.
- Not Everything is for Sale ; The Artwork 15 Belgian Gallerists Would Never Sell — and Why.
This exclusive exhibition aims to pay tribute to the exceptional careers of Belgian gallery owners or those based in Belgium who participate in Art Brussels and have been working in the field for at least 25 years. Each gallery owner will present a work of art that has deep personal significance, a work that he or she would never part with for anything in the world.
In order to shed light on the reasons behind their respective choices, a publication will document the exhibition, revealing a more intimate side to these men and women who have been operating in an art market that has been constantly evolving over the decades. The artistic direction of the project is entrusted to Bernard Marcelis, art critic and exhibition curator. This unique project benefits from the generous support of the international law firm Stibbe, a committed partner of Art Brussels since 2016.
- The KickCancer Collection
The KickCancer Collection returns to Art Brussels, inviting visitors to experience what “Small Art with a Big Heart” truly means. The collection will feature original, postcard-sized artworks provided by participating galleries and their talented artists. Each piece will be sold anonymously at a flat rate of €400, with all proceeds supporting the Belgian KickCancer Foundation’s beautiful mission: to cure every child with cancer. The name of the artist will only be revealed after the purchase of the artwork.
- États d’espace
A proposal by Bertrand Cavalier, curated by Olivier Grasser
États d’espace transforms the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles booth into an immersive installation where architecture becomes the artwork itself. Conceived as a living organism, the space stages the tension between apparent openness and subtle constraint.
Two large polished aluminium structures, a mobile plexiglass “closet-body,” and a selection of photography, drawings, and video invite visitors to physically navigate a shifting environment that shapes posture, movement, and perception. Through this spatial experience, Bertrand Cavalier reveals the often-invisible norms embedded in contemporary living spaces, affirming his practice as an exploration of the image as a field of forces—at once physical, perceptual, and political.
- Détour, by Moleskine
For Art Brussels 2026, Moleskine, a long-standing partner of Art Brussels, presents a selection of author notebooks from the Moleskine Foundation’s Detour archive. Visitors are invited to discover unique notebooks customised by internationally recognised artists.
Three prizes with an internationally esteemed jury (*)
- Discovery Acquisition Prize (with the support of Moleskine)
The jury will select a work to be donated to the collection of the Museum of Ixelles. The work will be part of the museum’s inaugural exhibition in early 2027, when it reopens after more than eight years of renovation. This prize fulfils the dream of an artist and a gallery while providing meaningful support to a museum.
- Solo Prize (with the support of TheMerode)
Awarded to the best solo booth presentation, the Solo Prize grants the winning artist a monetary award of 15 000 €.
- ’68 Forward Prize (with the support of Natan)
Awarded to the gallery with the best booth in the ’68 Forward section, the prize grants the winning gallery 5 000 €.
(*) The names of the jury members will be announced in the next press release.
A strong international lineup and trusted partners
The fair returns with an exceptional international programme featuring 136 galleries from 27 countries, offering a unique mix of established artists and emerging talent. Art Brussels is also delighted to announce the support of its main partner, Delen Private Bank.
136 galleries are presented across the fair’s four sections: 81 in PRIME, 38 in DISCOVERY, 12 in ’68 Forward, 5 in Horizons (see above), as well as 23 in the fair’s SOLO sub-section.
The repartition of the total exhibiting galleries per country is as follow: 39 galleries, or 29%, are from Belgium (including 22 from Brussels); 15% from France; 7% from Germany; 6% from Spain; 5% from the Netherlands; 5% from Portugal; 4% from the United Kingdom; 4% from Italy; 4% from Sweden; 3% from Austria; 3% from Switzerland; 2% from South Africa; 7% from the rest of the world (with one gallery per country) and 4% from the rest of Europe (with one gallery per country). Galleries with locations in multiple countries are counted only once, under the country with which they applied.
About the sections ’68 Forward, Prime and Solo:
Art Brussels will also continue to develop the ’68 Forward section, launched in 2025. This section covers the period from 1968 – the year Art Brussels was founded – to 2000. 12 galleries will present artists to be rediscovered from the final decades of the 20th century, including Franco Angeli (Toninelli), as well as Amelia Barratt and Kevin Hutcheson at Patricia Fleming (Glasgow). ’68 Forward anchors the fair in a long history while creating a dialogue with contemporary practices, underscoring that Art Brussels is both a platform for discovery and a key meeting point for historically significant works.
At the heart of the fair remains its strong core of leading galleries, ensuring continuity and a consistently high level of quality. 47 of the participating galleries have a location in Belgium. Of these, the following are returning to the Prime section, dedicated to mid-career and established artists: BARBÉ (Ghent); Belgian Gallery (Brussels); Dauwens (Brussels, Knokke); De Brock (Knokke); Kristof De Clercq (Ghent); Gallery FIFTY ONE (Antwerp); Hopstreet (Brussels); Xavier Hufkens (Brussels); rodolphe janssen (Brussels); Keteleer Gallery (Antwerp); Galerie La Forest Divonne (Brussels, Paris); Laurentin (Brussels, Paris); MARUANI MERCIER (Brussels, Knokke, Zaventem); Galerie Greta Meert (Brussels); Meessen (Brussels); Mendes Wood DM (Brussels, Sao Paolo, Paris, New York, Germantown); Galerie Eric Mouchet (Paris, Brussels); Newchild (Antwerp); Nosbaum Reding (Luxembourg, Brussels); Pedrami Gallery (Antwerp); Guy Pieters Gallery (Knokke); Tatjana Pieters (Ghent); QG Gallery (Brussels, Knokke); Almine Rech (Brussels, Paris, New York, Shanghai, Monaco, Gstaad); Sorry We’re Closed (Brussels); Gallery Sofie Van de Velde (Antwerp); Stems (Brussels), Tim Van Laere Gallery (Antwerp); Whitehouse Gallery (Brussels); Axel Vervoordt Gallery (Hong Kong, Wijnegem).
Among the international returning galleries in the Prime section are: Andréhn-Schiptjenko (Stockholm); Almine Rech (Paris, Brussels, London, New York, Shanghai); Ceysson & Bénétière (Geneva, Koerich, Lyon, New York, Paris, Saint-Etienne); Galeria Vera Cortês (Lisbon); Galerie Lange+Pult (Geneva); Galerie Lelong & Co (New York, Paris); Magnin-A (Paris); Ron Mandos (Amsterdam); Galerie Maubert (Paris); Mendes Wood DM (São Paulo, Brussels, New York); Nino Mier Gallery (Brussels, Los Angeles, New York, Marfa); Repetto (Lugan); Ronchini (London); Ruttkowski;68 (Paris, Düsseldorf, Cologne, New York, Bochum); Richard Saltoun Gallery (London, Rome, New York); and SMAC (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch); TEMPLON (Paris, Brussels).
Noteworthy are two new key players based in Vienna: Galerie Krinzinger (Vienna); Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman (Innsbruck, Vienna).
The fair shows its continued commitment to curatorial rigour with 23 Solo stands, which includes presentations by:
- Johnny Abrahams with Vigo Gallery (London);
- Laís Amaral with Mendes Wood DM (Brussels, Sao Paolo, Paris, New York, Germantown),
- Stéphanie Baechler with Whitehouse Gallery (Brussels)
- Marc Bauer with Keteleer Gallery (Antwerp);
- Alberto Biasi with Dep Art Gallery (Milan, Ceglie Messapica);
- Ria Bosman with TATJANA PIETERS (Ghent);
- Ylva Ceder with Wetterling Gallery (Stockholm, Gothenburg)
- Patrizio di Massimo with rodolphe janssen (Brussels);
- Arpaïs Du Bois with Gallery FIFTY ONE (Antwerp);
- Daniel Enkaoua with ESTHER VERHAEGHE art concepts (Brussels);
- Ritsart Gobyn with Gallery Sofie Van de Velde (Antwerp);
- Xian Kim with NEWCHILD (Antwerp);
- Eva L’Hoest with Galerie Eric Mouchet (Paris, Brussels);
- Kokou Ferdinand Makouvia with galerie Sator (Paris);
- Cassi Namoda with Xavier Hufkens (Brussels);
- Everlyn Nicodemus with Richard Saltoun Gallery (London, Rome, New York);
- Renato Nicolodi with Galerie Ron Mandos (Amsterdam);
- Sopheap Pich with Axel Vervoordt Gallery (Wijnegem, Hong Kong),
- Willie Stewart with Lazy Mike (Seoul);
- Joana Vasconcelos with Artemis Gallery (Lisbon);
- Nicola Tyson with Nino Mier Gallery (Brussels, New York);
- Loïc Van Zeebroek with Dauwens (Brussels, Knokke)
- MARUANI MERCIER (name of the artist TBC)
The Discovery section features 38 galleries from 17 countries. These galleries are presenting booths with a single artist or a dialogue between two artists who are not yet known in the European context. 50% of the participating Discovery galleries are new coming.
This year the section includes among others: paulina berlin (New York); The Drawing Room (Philippine, Makati City) with Kelli Maeshiro, Atsuko Yamagata; Fred & Ferry Gallery (Antwerp) with Antoine Waterkeyn, Robert Grunenberg (Berlin) with Filip Henin; Galerie Russi Klenner (Berlin) with Hamid Yaraghchi, House of Chappaz (Barcelona) with Andrew Roberts; Fabienne Levy (Lausanne, Geneva, Zürich) with Amit Berman, Alina Frieske; Night Café (London) with Marco Bizzarro; Office Impart (Berlin) with Ana Maria Caballero, Lena Marie Emrich; Ora (São Paulo) with Lucia Korayni; Pizza Gallery (Antwerp) with Kasper De Vos; Reservoir (Cape Town) with Richard Mudariki, Luis M. S. Santos; Working Title (Amsterdam) with Pieter Chanterie, Ulrike Rehm.
Full list of galleries:
- 22,48 m², Romainville
- A.Gorgi Gallery, Sidi Bou Said
- ADN Galeria, Barcelona, Paris, Madrid
- AFIKARIS, Paris
- AKINCI, Amsterdam
- Galerie Falko Alexander, Cologne
- Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Paris
- Artemis Gallery, Lisbon, Vienna
- ARTNUEVE, Murcia
- ATM, Gijon
- BARBÉ, Ghent
- Galerie Anne Barrault, Paris
- Galerie Sabine Bayasli, Paris
- Belgian Gallery, Brussels
- Berg Gallery, Stockholm
- polina berlin, New York
- christian berst art brut, Paris
- Bigaignon, Paris
- Blouin Division, Montreal, Toronto
- By Lara Sedbon, Paris
- Galerie C, Neuchâtel, Paris
- Caicoya, Oviedo
- Calvaresi, Buenos Aires
- Ceysson & Bénétière, Saint-Etienne, Tokyo, Paris, New York, Koerich, Lyon, Geneva, Pouzilhac, La Chaulme
- Galeria Vera Cortês, Lisbon
- Josilda da Conceição, Amsterdam
- Dauwens, Brussels, Knokke
- De Brock, Knokke
- Kristof De Clercq Gallery, Ghent
- Dep Art Gallery, Milan, Ceglie Messapica
- Galerie Dix9, Paris
- DMW Gallery, Antwerp
- The Drawing Room, Makati City
- Dürst Britt & Mayhew, The Hague
- EDJI Gallery, Brussels
- Einspach & Czapolai Fine Art, Budapest
- Emergent, Veurne
- Encounter, Lisbon
- Gallery FIFTY ONE, Antwerp
- Galeria Francisco Fino, Lisbon
- Patricia Fleming Gallery, Glasgow
- Galerie Fontana, Amsterdam, Brussels
- FRED&FERRY, Antwerp
- Freijo Gallery, Madrid
- Galeria Thomas Fuchs, Stuttgart
- Galeria Hilario Galguera, Mexico City, Madrid
- Robert Grunenberg, Berlin
- Helsinki Contemporary, Helsinki
- Cecilia Hillström Gallery, Stockholm
- Hopstreet Gallery, Brussels
- House of Chappaz, Barcelona
- Xavier Hufkens, Brussels
- Isabel Hurley, Malaga
- rodolphe janssen, Brussels
- Keteleer Gallery, Antwerp
- Galerie Russi Klenner, Berlin
- Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna
- Galerie La Forest Divonne, Brussels, Paris
- galerie lange + pult, Geneva, Auvernier
- LARSEN / WARNER, Stockholm
- Laurentn Gallery, Brussels, Paris
- Lazy Mike, Seoul
- LEE & BAE, Busan
- Lehmann, Porto
- Galerie LeLong, Paris, New York
- Galerie Christian Lethert, Cologne
- FABIENNE LEVY, Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich
- MAGNIN-A, Paris
- Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam
- Matèria, Rome
- Galerie Maubert, Paris
- Galerie Greta Meert, Brussels
- Meessen, Brussels
- Mendes Wood DM, Brussels, São Paulo, Paris, New York, Germantown
- MARUANI MERCIER, Brussels, Knokke, Zaventem
- Nino Mier Gallery, Brussels, New York
- Ani Molnár Gallery, Budapest
- Monitor, Rome, Lisbon, Pereto
- Galerie Eric Mouchet, Paris, Brussels
- NADAN, Berlin
- NEWCHILD, Antwerp
- Night Café, London
- No Man’s Art Gallery, Amsterdam
- Nosbaum Reding, Luxembourg, Brussels
- OFFICE IMPART, Berlin
- Ora, São Paulo
- Romero Paprocki, Paris, Milan
- Pedrami Gallery, Antwerp
- Christophe Person, Paris, Brussels
- Guy Pieters Gallery, Knokke
- TATJANA PIETERS, Ghent
- Pizza Gallery, Antwerp, Ghent
- POLKA, Paris
- QG Gallery, Brussels, Knokke
- RAVNIKAR, Ljubljana
- Almine Rech, Brussels, Paris, New York, Shanghai, Monaco, Gstaad
- TOM REICHSTEIN Contemporary, Hamburg
- Repetto Gallery, Lugano
- RESERVOIR, Cape Town
- Britta Rettberg, Munich
- Gallery RIMA, Belgrade
- Ronchini, London
- Ruttkowski;68, Paris, Düsseldorf, Cologne, New York, Bochum
- Salgadeiras Arte Contemporânea, Lisbon
- Richard Saltoun Gallery, London, Rome, New York
- galerie sator, Paris
- Simbart Projects, Istanbul
- SITUATIONS, New York
- SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, Cape Town
- Smolka Contemporary, Vienna
- Galeria Filomena Soares, Lisbon
- Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels
- SPAZIO NOBILE GALLERY, Brussels, Tervuren, Plintsberg
- Stems, Brussels, Paris
- Galeria Studio G7, Bologna
- SUPPAN, Vienna
- Galerie Suzanne Tarasieve, Paris
- Tempesta Gallery, Milan
- TEMPLON, Paris, Brussels, New York
- The Goma, Madrid
- Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman, Innsbruck, Vienna
- The Tiger Room, Munich
- MF Toninelli Art Moderne, Monaco
- Gallery Sofie Van de Velde, Antwerp
- Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp, Rome
- ESTHER VERHAEGHE art concept, Brussels
- Axel Vervoordt Gallery, Wijnegem, Hong Kong
- Vigo Gallery, London
- NADJA VILENNE, Liège
- Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm, Gothenburg
- WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town
- Whitehouse Gallery, Brussels
- Working Title, Amsterdam
- Wouters Gallery, Brussels
- Zalucky Contemporary, Toronto
- Zwart Huis, Brussels
Selection of images of Art Brussels 2025 (© David Plas)
