In January 2026, spearheaded by artist Jake Caleb, members of the freelance community surrounding A Tale of A Tub formed Broodfonds Bread and Butter. The desire to start a broodfonds began following Jay Tan’s solo exhibition Pension Planning, held in late 2024, which, through artworks and events, looked into alternative welfare schemes, particularly solidarity-based social alternatives, such as the ‘pardna system’ and the broodfonds model itself—a Dutch collective welfare initiative that effectively allows independent entrepreneurs to provide each other with temporary sick leave from work.

The way it works is simple: A group of freelancers form a collective and in turn pay a fixed monthly contribution into a personal account, ranging from approximately €33 to €112 depending on your income or your desired payout in the case of illness. If a member becomes ill and cannot work, the other members make small monthly donations from their individually pooled contributions to the sick person. Support typically ranges from €750 to €2,500 per month, depending on the member’s chosen contribution level. Through everyone contributing a relatively small amount of money each month, together the group easily raises enough funds to support each other when a time of need comes. And if you ever leave the broodfonds, the unspent money in your account remains yours. As the broodfonds model is built on solidarity and trust, members are not required to show any proof of illness and can claim monthly benefits for periods of up to two years. The runnings of the broodfonds are overseen by a member-based board appointed by the group, and the administration is done in collaboration with a representative from Broodfondsmakers, the national organisation overseeing the initiative.

Key to the broodfonds model is the idiom ‘the more the merrier’. So, if you are a freelancer in search of better worker protections—or know of fellow freelancers wanting the same—do consider joining this risk-free social alternative or spreading the word. If you would like to join or if you seek further information, you can contact Broodfonds Bread and Butter here or read more about the initiative here.