There was a time when Ghent owned 5,000 hectares of agricultural land. Today that figure is 1,800 hectares, mostly outside the city boundaries. The city in the countryside. What is the story behind that land? Where does its future lie? The 'Ghent’s Lands' exhibition is a history of land ownership, of the relationship between city and countryside, of care for the poor and sick, and of food security. It also provides food for thought in the here and now.
The story of Ghent’s vast swathes of farmland begins in the thirteenth century, when its charitable organizations came into possession of land outside the city walls. Those organizations were in desperate need of the land to sustain them financially and provide food for the city’s poor and sick. In the twentieth century, the city expanded with the port and motorways, the food aid distributed by the new Public Centre for Social Welfare (OCMW) became the living wage system and radical changes took place in the agricultural sector. Some of Ghent’s farmland was sold off and consigned to oblivion.
The 'Ghent’s Lands' exhibition changes all that. With the help of maps, paintings, illustrations, photographs, film footage and extraordinary objects, it unearths an intriguing chapter in the history of Ghent and other cities.
Times change. Today the land in Ghent’s ownership is fodder for debate. What will the future bring? Will more land be sold off to finance social policy? What will happen to today’s almost two-hundred tenants and the young farmers looking for land? Could the land have a role to play in issues such as climate change, food security and urban policy? Differing views are aired in interviews in the 'Ghent’s Lands' exhibition, ranging from those of OCMW policy-makers to investors, through young and established farmers to food aid organizations. Can their divergent ideas be consolidated into a shared vision for the future of Ghent’s land?
The 'Ghent’s Lands' exhibition will be accompanied by a programme of activities, such as guided tours (by experts), a series of debates, bicycle excursions and ‘lend a hand’ days on farms around Ghent. Keep an eye on our website, social media and newsletter for updates!
Image: Stadsarchief Gent and Gilbert Verschatse
STAM turned ten last year... time for a make-over for the permanent exhibition! Since the end of 2020 you can stroll through the new Story of Ghent.
Feel free to touch! A fun children’s trail that leads through every room in the museum. Children become merchants, craftspeople, architects or city trippers and participate in city life. They sell cloth, make coats of arms, face façades and work out routes.
