During the weekly activation of the Carbon installation in the monastery garden, informal gatherings are occasionally scheduled. This way we return to one of the first functions of fire, namely that of an instrument for social interaction.

Sunday 3 April at 15:00 we receive Ama Koranteng-Kumi in the monastery garden for a conversation about her initiative Bloei & Groei.

Ama Koranteng-Kumi is founder & director of Bloei & Groei (2014), an innovative and award-winning social project in Amsterdam Southeast that strengthens the resilience of residents and builds strong neighbourhoods through urban gardens. Ama was listed as a game changer on the Food100 list in 2019.Today Ama lives and works both in Antwerp and Amsterdam.

Bloei & Groei was founded in 2014 as a pioneering neighborhood initiative for an alternative neighbourhood-oriented approach to (mental) health, women's empowerment and well-being. The initiative has now grown into a progressive organization with 6 city gardens in Amsterdam Southeast and Nieuw-West and it enters into various partnerships with local (welfare) organizations, the municipality and various clients. Bloei & Groei creates fertile ground for residents who want to strengthen themselves, their environment and their neighbourhood.

At the end of 2021, Ama and Tinne Langens founded Mino Artspace in Antwerp-Dam. Mino Artspace is a new initiative for emerging artists and creatives. In the near future they want to realize the first Bloei & Groei community roof garden there. mino-antwerp.be

The conversation about the initiative of Ama Koranteng-Kumi coincides nicely with the Plantweekend of Klimplant vzw in the Provinciestraat, of which Kunsthal Extra City is a partner and in which we take an active role. During this PlantWeekend, the Provinciestraat will be transformed from a Street Canyon into a green valley by making as much greening interventions as possible. Existing tree sections will be tackled or enlarged where possible and facade gardens, climbing plants and facade garlands will be provided in various places in the Provinciestraat.

photo © Renate Chede

Language Dutch