OUR PROJECTS
2025 PROJECT: WHAT DO WE EAT?
Waste is just a lack of imagination. In 2025, we didn’t just serve food; we served a conversation during our exhibition Everything Has To Go.
With the food performance Mangé, collectives F/AAT and Studio Esca hacked the traditional restaurant experience. By radically altering the dining conditions, they forced the conversation back to the essence: what lies on our plate and where does it come from?
Simultaneously, we teamed up with Curator Machine to rethink the souvenir. We developed ‘Eat the Artwork’: locally produced popsicles that do more than cool you down—proceeds go directly to supporting local artists.
Scaling the Impact Ghent is already a pioneer in sustainable food strategies (‘Gent en Garde’) and holds the title of veggie capital. Our goal was to unlock this existing wealth for the visitor. We developed a curated Giftshop Map to guide tourists to these regenerative pioneers. Why? Because Ghent welcomes 1.6 million visitors annually. If we can convince even a fraction of them to choose local and sustainable during their stay, we move from symbolic art to tangible economic impact.
2026 PROJECT: WHERE DO WE SLEEP?
Next, we turn our attention to overnight stays. In ‘Everything For A Night’, we face a paradox.
While cities struggle with a housing crisis, thousands of hotel rooms remain empty every night. Yet, a hidden reality exists. Did you know that some hotels already act as emergency shelters? Today, this solidarity happens in the shadows, often veiled in stigma.
We want to bring this into the light. Too often, the tourist is viewed solely as a cause of the housing problem. We want to flip the script and explore how the visitor can be part of the solution.
We encourage hotels to reclaim their ancient purpose as modern inns — safe havens for both the traveler and the resident in need. By validating this dual role, we remove the stigma and prove that hospitality can be inclusive.
AN ONGOING ARCHIVE
Projects end. Exhibitions close. Cities continue to change. What remains are ideas that others can adapt and build upon. We want this website to serve as an open source toolkit. We document not only what we did, but why and how we did it.
So you can take these ideas back to your own city. The conversation doesn’t stop here. We are always open to dialogue, feedback, or new collaborations. Reach out to us at hello@giftshop.gent.
With hopes and dreams, Team Giftshop.