The very first edition of NEUVIEME ART will take place from September 26 to 28, 2025, at a unique venue temporarily open to the public: the Hôtel des Douanes on the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels. NEUVIEME ART is a groundbreaking event dedicated to discovering and promoting the 9th art in Brussels.
For its inaugural edition, NEUVIEME ART invites professionals, art lovers, and the general public to experience Europe’s first art fair dedicated to the 9th art. The event features thematic and original exhibitions, a series of conferences, and a dedicated networking space for professionals.
“NEUVIEME ART will become a recurring, engaged, and multifaceted event, offering an original exploration of the 9th art. Our goal is to bring people together and establish an annual event that showcases the vibrancy of the 9th art in Brussels.” – Gilles Parmentier
Supported by Nextensa, the real estate developer behind the entire Tour & Taxis site, NEUVIEME ART will be hosted for two years in the restored, light-filled Hôtel des Douanes-a historic building reflecting the architectural grandeur of the early 20th century. The event coincides with the BD Comic Strip Festival, organized by Visit Brussels, which is expected to attract nearly 60,000 visitors to Gare Maritime at Tour & Taxis from September 26 to 28 (2024 attendance figures). The proximity and complementary nature of these events will foster synergies and further cement Brussels’ reputation as the Capital of the 9th Art.
A Unique Hybrid Format at NEUVIEME ART
“Through our program, we look ‘out of the box’ at comics. Thanks to contributions from leading European galleries, we offer a panorama reflecting the quality and diversity of narrative drawing-comics, illustration, and more. Through our exhibitions and series of encounters, we broaden the field and reveal the influence of the 9th art on contemporary creativity,” explains Jean-Marc Dimanche, co-founder of NEUVIEME ART.
NEUVIEME ART unfolds across two floors of the Hôtel des Douanes, covering nearly 4,000 m², and is built on two main pillars:
1. Europe’s First Art Fair Dedicated to the 9th Art (FAIR)
On the ground floor, the fair brings together works from around fifteen art galleries, with a remarkable selection of original pieces tied to the worlds of comics, manga, and illustration. With its singular positioning, this pioneering fair aims to become Europe’s reference event for narrative drawing-supporting the market and encouraging discovery and acquisition of works in this domain. The list of participating galleries, to be announced in late June, includes names such as Huberty & Breyne (Be–Fr), Galerie Barbier (Fr), and La galerie de la Bande Dessinée (Be).
2. Thematic Exhibitions (EXHIBITIONS)
On the first floor, thematic exhibitions of original 9th art works are organized in collaboration with partners and institutions. The final program will be revealed at the end of June 2025. Highlights include:
- “Brussels” curated by artist David Merveille, brings together around one hundred works by artists who have illustrated Brussels in all its facets, creating a mosaic of interpretations that place the city at the heart of the narrative and highlight the richness and diversity of its depiction in contemporary narrative art.
- “Nouveaux récits” curated by Sophie Toulouse and Barbara Soyer (from The Drawer magazine), explores new ways of storytelling in drawing-beyond panels, prints, and even paper. This exhibition gathers fifteen contemporary artists and illustrators whose work reimagines comics culture in style, iconography, and narrative, using 2D, 3D, sculptural, and projected forms to reinvent the comic medium.
This hybrid format-combining a commercial fair with curated exhibitions-offers an original exploration of the 9th art, opening new perspectives and fostering cross-pollination between market, creativity, and public engagement.
NEUVIEME ART also offers both the public and professionals:
- A series of talks (TALKS): The program, to be announced at the end of June 2025, will feature expert-led lectures and discussions on the 9th art, its evolution, and its influence on contemporary creativity.
- A dedicated space for meetings and exchanges (SHARE): This area encourages professionals to connect, share ideas, and foster collaborations, while also supporting the launch of an off-site program starting in September 2026.
About the 9th Art:
The term “ninth art” was first coined in the 1960s by French film critic and historian Claude Beylie, and popularized by Morris (creator of Lucky Luke) and Pierre Vankeer in their magazine Neuvième art – Musée de la bande dessinée. Today, “ninth art” refers to comics as a distinct art form, on par with film, photography, and drawing. The concept highlights the deep cultural roots of comics in France and Belgium, where they are celebrated not just as entertainment but as a vital and respected part of the arts.
Over recent decades, the 9th art has gained institutional and museum recognition, with original comic art now featured in galleries and commanding significant attention on the art market-especially since the 2000s, when auction houses began to drive interest and value. Renowned galleries now champion comic artists, positioning them within the broader field of contemporary art.
Despite this growing recognition, there has never been a large-scale event dedicated to showcasing this vibrant artistic universe and developing a multidisciplinary program that cements comics’ place as a reference point in the art world. NEUVIEME ART aims to fill this gap, becoming a landmark fair for the 9th art and fostering its ongoing evolution.
Management Duo: The Visionaries Behind NEUVIEME ART
NEUVIEME ART is the creation of the Franco-Belgian duo Jean-Marc Dimanche (FR) and Gilles Parmentier (BE), both recognized for their innovative contributions to the European art scene. Together, they previously launched ceramic brussels, the first international fair in Brussels dedicated to contemporary ceramic art, which debuted in January 2024.
Gilles Parmentier (BE):
Gilles Parmentier led the Art on Paper fair in Brussels from 2018 to 2024, overseeing six editions of this major international drawing fair. He is also the founder of Brussels Drawing Week, organized in collaboration with over 30 Brussels cultural institutions. As co-founder of ceramic brussels, he continues to shape the European art landscape, with the third edition of ceramic brussels scheduled for January 2026. Alongside Jean-Marc Dimanche, he is also developing Manifest Paris by ceramic brussels, a capsule exhibition set for October 2025 during Paris Art Week.
Jean-Marc Dimanche (FR):
An independent curator, Jean-Marc Dimanche has co-curated the Grandeur Nature biennial-a touring exhibition of contemporary sculpture at the Château de Fontainebleau-and co-founded ceramic brussels. After two decades leading the design agency V.I.T.R.I.O.L., he co-founded Maison Parisienne in 2008, a gallery devoted to French arts and crafts. Since 2016, he has served as general curator of the De Mains De Maîtres Luxembourg biennial, initiated by the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. From 2019 to 2022, he directed ELEVEN STEENS, a private Brussels space dedicated to art and materiality, and has contributed to the Revue de la Céramique et du Verre.
