Belgium’s Leading Fair For Art, Antiques And Design

Brafa is among the world’s oldest and most impressive annual art fairs, showcasing everything from Old Master and modern paintings to textiles, sculpture, jewelry, silverware, rare books, carpets and furniture. This year’s 71st edition, to be held at the iconic 1930s Brussels Expo buildings from 25 January until 1 February, will feature 147 leading galleries (19 new since last year) from 19 countries. Belgium, the birthplace of Bruegel, Rubens and Magritte has always had a strong local collector culture so it’s no surprise that almost half of the new galleries are Belgian or have a Belgian space, while the rest come from France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Brazil and the United States.

Brafa’s Art Deco Setting

For 2026, Brafa will spotlight Old Masters, furniture and decorative arts, from vintage and contemporary design to Art Nouveau and Art Deco, as well as 19th- and 20th-century works and lighting. Aside from its content, another reason Brafa is so attractive to collectors is its less daunting size, in comparison to other annual art fairs like Frieze London, Tefaf Maastricht or Fiac Paris, all of which have nearly 200 galleries or more. Brafa always feels accessible, civilised and never feels packed. The Art Deco and early modernist architecture of the 1930 Expo buildings and the elegant and striking interior design of the fair also contribute to an appealing visitor experience. And the food and beverage offering sounds as excellent as ever, offering everything from brasserie classics to sushi and Italian cuisine.

Antiques and Old Masters

Certain to be a draw this year in the Antiques and Old Masters section will be Vagabond Antiques (Petworth, UK), whose founder Joe Chaffer has a superb collection of sculptures, paintings and objects dating from the second century AD to the nineteenth century.

Joining the ancient art lineup are Old Master specialists, Arte-Fact Fine Art (Antwerp), Pelgrims de Bigard (Groot-Bijgaarden Castle) specialists in 15th-17th-century Flemish paintings and Rome’s Carlucci Gallery (Italy), showcasing Old Master paintings, antique furniture and sculpture.

For visitors looking for the best in decorative art, for its debut at the fair, Decorative Arts (Brussels), a Brussels-based gallery will present Murano glass, mirrors and bronzes by French artist, designer, jewelery maker Line Vautrin. In the same category, Galerie Haesaerts‑le Grelle (Brussels) will showcase decorative arts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Arts and Crafts works by W.A.S. Benson, Liberty & Co. and William Morris.

Modern & Contemporary Art

Maisonjaune Studio will be showing gorgeous 20th-century furniture and the work of emerging and established artists. Owners Elodie and Julien define their studio as an eclectic, unexpected and convivial encounter between past and present.

In Modern Art, dealer Virginie Devillez Fine Art (Belgium) will show for the first time, bringing together works by major 20th-century painters like such as René Magritte.

Straddling modern and contemporary art, visitors can explore treasures from Pron (Paris), who will be presenting Jean Cocteau and Fausto Melotti ceramics, as well as glass sculptures by Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso.

Among the established international contemporary art galleries to exhibit will be Beck & Eggeling Internation Fine Art (Dusseldorf), Almine Rech (London, New York, Paris and others), and Martos Gallery (New York), presenting a series of works by Keith Haring. And in the jewelery section, new Dutch exhibitor, The old Treasury (Netherlands), run by the mother-and-daughter duo Miriam and Laura Schmitz, will show 20th-century designer jewellery selected from their holdings of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Bulgari, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Tiffany & Co.

There will be a strong presence at the fair from Knokke, a charming Belgian beach town packed with many contemporary art galleries, definitely worth a visit before or after Brafa. Boon Gallery, De Brock, Maruani Mercier, Mulier Mulier Gallery, Guy Pieters, QG Gallery, Edouard Simoens Gallery, Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery are among the Knokke participants from a town where almost every shop front seems to house a gallery.

Special Exhibition from the King Baudouin Foundation

Brafa is much more than an art fair and always offers visitors fascinating, non-commercial exhibitions too. Belgian charity, the King Baudouin Foundation, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will be the guest of honor at Brafa with a stand that will feature recent acquisitions as well as masterpieces that have been entrusted to Belgian museums and public collections over time. Among the highlights will be a beautiful bracelet by Belgian sculptor Pol Bury; a tapestry by Elisabeth De Saedeleer and a unique coat of Brussels lace.

Practical info

Brafa Art Fair runs from Sunday 25 January to Sunday 1 February 2026, from 11am to 7pm. Brussels Expo (Halls 3, 4 & 8) place de Belgique 1, 1020 Brussels. A late-opening will take place on Thursday 29 January.

Ticket prices for adults are €35 and €12 for 16-26 (under 16s go free).