Wednesday, November 5, 2025

7:00 – 9:00 PM

Beginning a Broodfonds

(Almost) this time last year, we opened Pension Planning, an exhibition by Jay Tan. Within the social landscape of ageing populations and countries that ‘get old before they get rich’—where government bonds and investment funds call into question whether ethical communal welfare funds could or ever did exist—this exhibition metaphorically postured towards the task of saving for retirement, a mountain often impossible to climb.

Unfolding through the public program, the conversation also evolved to include other forms of financial protection, particularly focusing on solidarity-based social alternatives, such as the ‘pardna system’ (via Derica Shields’ quarterly bulletin) and the broodfonds—a Dutch collective welfare model that effectively allows independent entrepreneurs to provide each other with temporary sick leave from work. In following up on this in practical terms, we’re hosting an information session for anyone interested in joining a soon-to-be-established broodfonds, at home at A Tale of A Tub but with complete agency held by its members.

Organised with the support of artist Jake Caleb, during this event a representative from the Dutch organisation BroodfondsMakers will provide all the information needed to get started while also answering any questions you might have. Key to the broodfonds model is the idiom ‘the more the merrier’. So please share around with fellow freelancers searching for better worker protections, and consider this risk-free social initiative for yourself as well!

If you’re planning on joining, please register for the event by emailing nick@a-tub.org. And if you’re on the fence about signing up to a broodfonds, don’t worry, coming to the event doesn’t automatically mean you have to join.