Benelux Culture Calendar: Summer 2026

By Karl Batterbee

Summer is festival season and there are plenty of reasons to head out into the streets of the Benelux region across May, June and July. From poetry to pop and from film to folk, we highlight some of the best cultural happenings to add to your diary during these warmer months.

BRUSK (from 8 May)

A brand-new artistic hotspot and architectural landmark is opening in the heart of Bruges this summer. An art gallery that’s promised an international flavour and leading exhibitions, locals and visitors can soon get acquainted with BRUSK. Located in the museum district, the art gallery is within walking distance of iconic places such as the Groeninge Museum, the Gruuthuse Museum, the Museum of the Church of Our Lady, the Museum St. John’s Hospital and the Belfry. BRUSK is setting out to connect art and heritage from different eras across all continents, with contemporary themes always in mind. Its upcoming programme has already been said to offer new perspectives, inviting a wider audience to engage in dialogue and wonder. Bruges has got a new item to offer the to-do list of everyone seeking a cultural day out in the city!

Bruges, Belgium

www.bruskbrugge.be

The multi-platinum recording artist Conan Gray is bringing his biggest world tour yet to Belgium and the Netherlands in May. Photo: Dillon Matthew

Conan Gray (14 and 15 May)

Multi-platinum singer and songwriter Conan Gray is back on the road – this time on his biggest world tour to date. The Wishbone Tour will take him to 42 venues worldwide, starting in North America, spanning Europe and eventually landing Down Under. In May, Conan will touch down in Amsterdam and Antwerp for two massive arena gigs that promise to be unforgettable evenings full of energy, emotion and epic pop. These will be the only Benelux performances on the tour and the dates follow the success of Conan’s fourth studio album Wishbone, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album Sales Chart and Top 3 on the Billboard 200. With over 12 billion streams, a strong visual expression and an influence that extends far beyond music, he’s already been selling out venues like Madison Square Garden, Kia Forum and Wembley Arena; so we know by now he’s got a reputation for putting on quite the show!

Amsterdam, Netherland (14 May) and Antwerp, Belgium (15 May)

www.conangray.com

British singer Arlo Parks is headlining the 2026 edition of the Poetry International Festival in Rotterdam. Photo: Press image

Poetry International Festival (4 – 7 June)

For four days, the most powerful voices in poetry from around the world will come together for an event you’ve possibly never experienced before. Whether you’ve been a poetry lover for years or are just taking your first steps into the world, this festival promises moments of wonder, reflection and celebration. On the programme are captivating performances that will linger in the mind, discussions that will change your perspective on poetry, and the chance to connect with the poets whose words shape our world. For 2026, the festival is bringing together some of the most revered voices in poetry. So clear your calendars, spread the word and get ready to immerse yourself in this beautiful world.

Rotterdam, Netherlands

www.poetryinternational.com

At London Calling it’s your last chance to see almost 70 British works being displayed. Boy Smoking, 1950-51, Lucian Freud. Tate, Bequeathed by Simon Sainsbury 2006, accessioned 2008. Photo: © The Lucian Freud Archive / Bridgeman Images 2025.

London Calling (until 7 June)

It’s one last chance to see what the reviews have been raving about! Until 7 June, Kunstmuseum Den Haag, in collaboration with Tate, will present the major retrospective exhibition London Calling. For the first time in the Netherlands, highlights of post-war British paintings will be shown in a carefully curated overview. Featuring work by 13 artists, the exhibition offers a cross-section of British painting while also providing insight into parallel movements and artists who also used paint to express the world around them, but who have remained underexposed in the mainstream narrative. In total, the exhibition will be displaying almost 70 works until it packs up in the first week of June.

The Hague, Netherlands

www.kunstmuseum.nl

Bruxelles fait son cinéma (16 June to 18 July)

For four weeks this summer, you’re invited to experience cinema in a fresh format and at plenty of different settings. Every summer, Brussels offers free open-air film screenings to all. From blockbuster movies to little-known independent pictures, the 19 municipalities of the Belgian capital are catered to. As well as a welcome chance to view some film culture, this annual event is also a great opportunity to rediscover Brussels in all its wonder and diversity.

All over Brussels, Belgium

www.bruxellesfaitsoncinema.be

Festival de Wiltz (27 June)

Ever since the inaugural festival back in 1953, this unparalleled open-theatre event, with a grand castle as its setting, has become an annual appointment for many artists, as well as theatrical and musical ensembles, on an international and national scale. Now, it returns at the end of June with a new cultural offering. At its first edition in 1953, a handful of people from Wiltz had the foresight to create a one-of-a-kind festival that Luxembourg could call its own. Since then, it’s been able to attract some of the biggest artists through the decades; a lot of times it’s even been the performer’s first time in the country. In 1991 a removable roof was installed, which covers the main area of the stage and also offers protection from the weather to spectators. And as an added bonus, the public got to enjoy improved acoustic conditions! Listen out for them in June.

Wiltz, Luxembourg

www.festivaldewiltz.lu

Fetival de Wiltz is back for its 2026 edition this summer. One of the longest-running events in Luxembourg for a reason. Photo: Laurent Sturm

The Ghent Festivities (17 to 26 July)

Consider this your ticket to a festival packed with culture. This annual event is unique in Belgium, known for its varied (and free!) offering of music performances, street theatre, exhibitions, children’s animation, fairs, parades and plenty more besides. The Ghent Festivities is now one of the biggest and most popular festivals in Europe, having been recognised as an item of Flemish intangible heritage. Festival goers can attend concerts and a whole host of performances all across the city. And you won’t go hungry or thirsty, thanks to the many food and drink stalls popping up every year. From well-known artists to street performers, everyone gets a chance to perform their act for the gathered crowds. This is a place to come and experience something fresh and new, every time.

All over Ghent, Belgium

visit.gent.be/en