Samenvatting

As a counterreaction to projects attracting the creative class, other projects have stimulated the craft-based talents of poor neighborhood residents. One example is the Freehouse Foundation in Rotterdam. Freehouse facilitated cooperation between residents and designers and artists. We investigated whether Freehouse improved the social inclusion of these residents. We conclude that Freehouse’s efforts to connect arts and crafts resulted in collaborative creative production, with primarily social benefits for the residents. Initiatives such as Freehouse can offer a contribution to social inclusion, albeit a small one. However, connections between arts and crafts are only likely to occur if explicitly established.