5 days of music, pride and solidarity!
From 24 to 28 June 2026, Various Voices, the European festival of LGBTQI+ choirs, will take place in Brussels.
23 May 2026
Held every four years in a different European city, Various Voices will bring together 120 LGBTQI+ choirs and 4,000 singers from 18 countries in Brussels.
Founded in 1985 in Cologne, the festival has become a leading European event for the LGBTQI+ choral scene. The 2026 edition is organised by the non-profit organisation Various Voices Brussels 2026, which grew out of the Brussels choir Sing Out Brussels!
Over 350 concerts are scheduled over five days in prestigious venues: Bozar (Salle Henry Le Bœuf and Salle M), La Madeleine, the Cirque Royal and the ING Arena. Thanks to a partnership with the City of Brussels, several events will take place in public spaces, at the Town Hall and at the Vaux Hall in Brussels Park.
Through song, Various Voices promotes a more welcoming, supportive and inclusive world. This is the raison d’être of the participatory project Let Your Heart Be Heard. In partnership with Bozar, the festival is offering rehearsals open to everyone, with no prior experience required, to learn the festival anthem, which will be performed by a giant choir during the show on 27 June at the ING Arena. The musical direction is provided by Emily Allison.
The festival will showcase artists from the Brussels, Belgian and European queer communities in a programme curated by Simon Paco, artistic director.
Given its economic impact on tourism in Brussels, this project has been developed in collaboration with visit.brussels.
Christophe Cordier, Marina Belotti, Damien Wauters and Walid Aissaoui (Festival Team) say: “Various Voices is an opportunity to celebrate our pride and make our voices and our choirs heard as the LGBTQI+ community. Held in the capital of the European Union, the festival will send a powerful message at a time when the LGBTQI+ community is facing repeated attacks in many countries. Various Voices Brussels 2026 will challenge gender norms and identities, change attitudes and raise awareness. It is also a sharing of emotions with all audiences.”
