Brussels will host the 71st edition of BRAFA from January 25 to February 1, 2026, with the fair bringing together more than 140 galleries from 17 countries across its three exhibition halls. Organizers report that exhibitor registrations have been arriving at an accelerated pace compared to previous years, signaling strong dealer confidence in the event.
Over 20 disciplines will be on display, spanning antiquities to contemporary art, including Old Master paintings, classical African art, antique and designer furniture, silverware, carpets and textiles, rare books, and jewelry.
Klaas Muller, Chairman of BRAFA, said, “Our list of exhibitors is well advanced, and registrations have been coming in quickly. We have maintained the eclecticism of the specialities on offer, as well as the high quality of the participating galleries. This confirms the longevity of our event, which continues to evolve in its own unique way.”
With the larger art market in a freefall, where dealers and collectors express concern over the state of the industry, this uptick in participation could signal improvement.
Nineteen new galleries will be joining BRAFA 2026, representing the fair’s most substantial intake in recent memory. Nearly half are Belgian or maintain exhibition spaces in Belgium, while the remainder come from France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Brazil, and the United States. This geographic spread indicates BRAFA’s ability to attract dealers from both established and emerging art markets.
Notable additions to the antiques and Old Masters section include Vagabond Antiques from Petworth in the UK, where founder Joe Chaffer has assembled a collection spanning from the second century AD to the nineteenth century. Belgian galleries Arte-Fact Fine Art and Pelgrims de Bigard will also debut, with the latter bringing expertise in 15th to 17th-century Flemish paintings. Italy’s Carlucci Gallery, located on Rome’s prestigious Via del Babuino, will present Old Master paintings alongside antique furniture and sculpture.
Brussels-based unforget Decorative Arts will make its first appearance with 20th-century pieces, particularly post-war design and iconic glass and metal creations, including Murano glass and Line Vautrin mirrors and bronzes. Galerie Haesaerts-le Grelle will offer works from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including Arts and Crafts production by W.A.S. Benson, Liberty and Co, and William Morris.
Virginie Devillez Fine Art enters the modern art section with works by René Magritte, Pierre-Louis Flouquet, and Gustave De Smet, though her gallery distinguishes itself through a focused effort on women artists who have historically received less attention in mainstream narratives. Parisian gallery Pron will bridge modern and contemporary art with ceramics by Jean Cocteau and Fausto Melotti, glass sculptures by Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso, and paintings by Belgian artist Gommaar Gilliams. Beck & Eggeling International Fine Art from Germany will showcase 19th and 20th-century masters alongside emerging contemporary artists.
Almine Rech, which operates spaces across Belgium, France, the UK, USA, China, Monaco, and Switzerland, will exhibit alongside Brussels institution Galerie Greta Meert. Mulier Mulier Gallery will present works by Panamarenko, while New York’s Martos Gallery brings its Keith Haring expertise to the fair. Martins&Montero, operating venues in São Paulo and Brussels, rounds out the contemporary section.
Design offerings include Maisonjaune Studio from France with furniture and objects from the 1950s onward, Laurent Schaubroeck’s rare Brazilian, American, and Japanese mid-century pieces, and Dutch gallery MassModernDesign’s historically significant furniture. In jewelry, Dutch gallery The Old Treasury, run by mother-daughter duo Miriam and Laura Schmitz, will specialize in 20th-century designer pieces. Van Pruissen Asian Art from the Netherlands joins the non-European arts section with focus on Japan and East Asia.
Six galleries return after previous absences: Monegasque dealers Maison D’Art and Véronique Bamps, French galleries Franck Anelli Fine Art and Galerie Alexis Bordes, plus Belgian specialists Finch & Co and Grusenmeyer-Woliner, the latter managed by descendants of established art-dealing families.
BRAFA has redesigned its layout, dedicating Halls 3 and 4 entirely to art while creating a new culinary space in Hall 8 with options ranging from brasserie classics to sushi and Italian cuisine. This separation represents a strategic shift in organizing visitor experience.
King Baudouin Foundation (named after the much loved former king of Belgium), celebrating its 50th anniversary, takes guest of honor status with an extended stand featuring recent acquisitions and masterpieces entrusted to Belgian museums. Highlights include a Pol Bury bracelet, Willem Key’s figure of Christ, an Elisabeth De Saedeleer tapestry, and Brussels lace coat, plus Bonnecroy’s panoramic view of Brussels, the Holy Blood banner, and the Gallic Treasure of Thuin.
Melanie Coisne, Head of the Heritage & Culture Programme at the King Baudouin Foundation, said, “BRAFA is a very important event for us because it is a wonderful opportunity to share these treasures with all art lovers, to inspire and engage them, but also to showcase our commitment to preserving this heritage and promoting art and culture.”
Daily public conferences will be held at the Foundation’s stand, with times and programs to be announced.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the Marie-Jeanne Dauchy Fund in 2025, entrusted to the Fashion & Lace Museum, Brussels
BRAFA 2026 runs daily from 11am to 7pm at Brussels Expo, place de Belgique 1, 1020 Brussels, with a late opening on Thursday, January 29. This expansion arrives at a moment when mid-tier European art fairs are working to define their relevance against mega-events like Art Basel and Frieze. BRAFA’s ability to draw galleries from Brazil and the United States, markets typically oriented toward larger international platforms, suggests its multi-disciplinary approach and collector base offer something beyond regional appeal. Whether this growth proves sustainable will likely depend on how well it balances accessibility with exclusivity, a tension that defines every fair trying to scale up without losing its identity.
