Cultural Compass: The Antwerp Six, Klarafestival and the Cartoonfestival

Every Sunday, Belga English picks its favourite events from the cultural agenda. This week: Antwerp looks back at the six designers who shaped the city’s fashion scene, Klarafestival fills every concert space in Brussels with an unending stream of music, and the coast continues to host the oldest festival of its kind with more than 250 cartoons.

The Antwerp Six, 28 March until 17 January, MoMu, Antwerp

In 2026, Antwerp celebrates its status as a global fashion capital with a spotlight on one of its most defining stories: The Antwerp Six. This exhibition revisits the designers who, in the 1980s, introduced a bold and unconventional vision that would transform the industry.

Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee all trained at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts under Mary Prijot. Although each developed a distinct style, they shared a spirit of experimentation and independence that set them apart from the fashion mainstream.

Their breakthrough moment came in 1986, when they travelled together by van to London to present their work at a trade fair. The impact was immediate and unexpected: buyers and press took notice, and by the early 1990s they were being referred to collectively as “The Antwerp Six”. That journey not only launched their international careers but also firmly established Antwerp as a centre for avant-garde fashion.

Through garments, archives and personal insights, the exhibition captures both their collective energy and individual voices. More than a look back, it reveals how their radical approach continues to shape fashion today.

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Klara Festival, until 29 March, Brussels

A man walks on stage with his cello and immediately breaks the usual distance between performer and audience, inviting everyone present into a shared experience. What follows is less a traditional concert and more a living exchange, where music flows back and forth, shaped as much by the room as by the performer. This is the hallmark of Abel Selaocoe, the cellist, singer and composer whose performances feel intimate, spontaneous and deeply human. Drawing on influences from his South African roots to Baroque, jazz and contemporary classical music, he creates a fluid, personal sound world.

As central artist of Klarafestival, Selaocoe embodies this year’s theme, Where is Home?, a question explored through music that crosses borders and traditions. Around him, a strong line-up of Belgian ensembles adds further depth. The Brussels Philharmonic premieres a new cello concerto by Jessie Montgomery, written especially for Selaocoe, while the Belgian National Orchestra delves into contemporary works by composers such as Max Richter and Caroline Shaw.

Elsewhere, young musicians from Youth Orchestra Flanders share the stage with violinist Joshua Brown, and Robin Verheyen presents a new work blending saxophone with historical instruments. Together, these performances form a rich musical landscape, one that invites audiences not just to listen, but to reflect, connect and feel at home in sound.

Klarafestival is the largest broadcast festival for classical music in Belgium. Every year in March, captivating (inter)national soloists and ensembles bring classical, jazz and contemporary creations to life at various cultural venues in Brussels, including Bozar and Flagey.

Cartoonfestival, until 3 May, CC Scharpoord, Knokke-Heist

At the Cartoonfestival Knokke-Heist, humour becomes a sharp and revealing lens on the world. As the oldest festival of its kind, it brings together more than 250 cartoons from international and Belgian artists, offering a lively mix of wit, satire and visual storytelling.

This year’s edition places a special focus on interaction, inviting visitors to move beyond passive viewing. Cartoons draw inspiration not only from global events and political tensions, but also from everyday experiences and personal perspectives. In doing so, the exhibition highlights the cartoonist’s role as both observer and commentator. It shows how a simple drawing can provoke laughter or spark debate.

Ludo Thys, until 28 September, Het Stadsmus, Hasselt

“Versatile maker, master, human being,” this is how Het Stadsmus honours ceramist and visual artist Ludo Thys (1951–2025). The exhibition offers a rich portrait of an artist whose work moved effortlessly between sculpture, functional ceramics and painting, always guided by precision, curiosity and a spirit of experimentation. Just as significant was his role as a teacher, shaping and inspiring generations of young makers.

A wide selection of works reveals the breadth of his practice, from tactile, carefully crafted objects to more expressive forms that highlight his artistic range. Thys’ deep understanding of material and form runs throughout, alongside a willingness to push boundaries.

In dialogue with this tribute, Solemn Soil, In The Wake of Fire presents responses by students from the PXL-MAD Ceramics department. Engaging with Thys’ legacy and Hasselt’s ceramic tradition, their works extend the conversation into the present.

​​(MOH)

^{​#FlandersNewsService | The Antwerp Six, 1986 © Karel Fonteyne}

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