What has Potgrond done over the past year 2026?
Since February, our monthly geopathetic gatherings have been fully booked!
Besides this we’ve organized 3 sold out workshop dinners in Overvecht.
We’ve also organized workshops for Biophilia, EASLCE 2026 and the Utrecht Botanical Gardens.
Some of our activities:
EXCURSION: Bisons and Birdwatching
We are going to Haarlem! Join us to see the bison which were reintroduced a few years ago and observe the birds of the dunes. We will take the train together and have a picnic in the dunes.
POTGROND WEEKEND: Haunted Landscapes of the Veluwe
In this time of shifting seasons and changing landscapes, we will wander through the autumnal forests of de Veluwe together. How has this forest become “the green heart” of the Netherlands? What haunts the landscape to this day, and what current vegetation and stories will haunt its future? We will find out together in this weekend of exploratory walks, camping fun, introspection, and a visit to the Kröller Müller museum!
GEOPATHETIC GATHERING: Layers of Waste in the Griftpark
Join anthropologist and researcher Yoran Goossen for a workshop about the Griftpark’s past, present, and future relationships with waste. He will lead us into the beast of the belly: a trip to the underworld of the Griftpark, to see the waste treatment going on underneath our feet. We will also roam through the park, picnic, and discuss together about the intricacies of waste in our contemporary society.
Previous Cycles
Exhibitions & Curation
- Laying the Ginkgo to Rest (2025): An interdisciplinary farewell ceremony that welcomed over 2,000 visitors and was extended three times.
- Craft and Heritage (2025): An exploration of material histories, welcoming 2,000+ visitors.
Publications
- Abecedarium of historical crafts (2025): Exhibition catalogue (500 copies sold).
- Laying the Ginkgo to Rest (2025): Exhibition catalogue (200 copies sold).
- A Short Guide to Ways of Seeing Futures and Thinking Pasts (2024): A zine grown in collaboration with Utrecht University, NL.
Media & Recognition
- RTV Drenthe (November 2025): Interview exploring the foundational research of Nina’s Master’s thesis.
- HörMalZu(kunft)!: Awarded second prize at the national German podcasting competition.
Further Workshops & Educational Design
- Becoming in the Bog (April 2026): Workshop guided for the EALSCE conference.
- Slowing Down the Gaze: Noticing the Garden (2025): Workshop hosted for the Minerva Art Academy.
- Alternative Pedagogies and Participatory Methodologies for Sustainability Education (2024): Curriculum design for a three-month course at Utrecht University, still in active use.
- Flower Hammering & Future of Foods in collaboration with Materials4Future.
Academic Presentations (2025)
- Nature’s Narratives – International Literature Festival Utrecht
- Biodiversity and Colonialism – Utrecht Botanical Gardens
- Untangling affective temporalities of a garden – British Society for Phenomenology Symposium, Tilburg University
- Bracing for Impact – Junior Scholars for the Anthropocene Symposium, Network for Environmental Humanities
