The economy affects us all, whether it’s the cost of groceries, filing taxes, or businesses and politicians aiming to stimulate the economy. We all experience the various consequences of our economic system, regardless of our social status or political views.

Despite its pervasiveness, we often perceive the economy as an unchangeable law of nature, beyond our control or influence. However, a system conceived by people can equally be reshaped by its creators.

What exactly is this elusive and all-determining ‘economy’? And what kind of economy do we desire? These questions were at the heart of the festival ‘Who owns the Economy?’, which brought together participants and visitors to explore the future of our economic system. The multidisciplinary exhibition and public programming served as an invitation for everyone to engage and envision the economy of tomorrow.

Collective Works was a key member of the development team, designing the campaign, developing the scenography, and did the exhibition design. As part of Constructlab, we additionally showcased our ‘WOOD FOOD INK Market’ project, which explored the intersection of collaborative economies and cooperative intelligence.

The festival took place in the creative area around Willem Twee, Verkadefabriek, and Tramkade in Den Bosch, Netherlands. It featured prominent engaged artists such as Cynthia Hathaway, Otobong Nkanga, Klaas Burger, Carlijn Kingma, Teresa Borasino, Arne Hendriks, and organizations like FairJobs, Jatiwangi Art Factory, and Constructlab.