Brussels Airlines launches Pan-African Art Tour linking Africa and Europe

Brussels Airlines has unveiled AfriConnections, a travelling exhibition showcasing contemporary African art across multiple cities in Africa and Europe throughout 2026.

The initiative will tour key cultural hubs including Kinshasa, Abidjan, Yaoundé and Dakar, before concluding in Brussels. Hosted in major museums and cultural venues, the exhibition aims to foster cultural exchange and strengthen artistic connections between African countries and Europe.

Featuring works from 15 artists, AfriConnections draws from the collection of the Ifitry Artist Residency and highlights the diversity and international significance of contemporary African art. Organisers say the project also addresses a structural gap in the art world, where African works often circulate internationally but rarely move between countries within the continent itself.

Brussels Airlines CEO Dorothea von Boxberg said the exhibition reflects the airline’s broader mission of connecting cultures, while curator Michèle Desmottes emphasised the importance of enabling artistic exchange within Africa before reaching European audiences.

The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge at each stop, reinforcing its accessibility and educational ambition. Venues include Texaf Bilembo in Kinshasa (April), Rotonde des Arts in Abidjan (May), Abali Gallery in Yaoundé (June), the IFAN Museum in Dakar (September), and Tour & Taxis in Brussels (October).

The project forms part of a broader cultural push by Brussels Airlines, which also includes a digital campaign spotlighting African artists. The airline, which has maintained strong ties to Africa since its earliest routes in the 20th century, is positioning the initiative as an extension of its role in connecting not just passengers, but also ideas, creativity and cultural narratives across continents.