Community project with Joren Joshua and Beverlo

Joren Joshua, the Dutch artist, whose work is featured almost weekly in The Guardian, set to work with the neighbours of the community centre De Kardijk in Beringen. The purpose of the community project was to start a conversation about art with everyone in the neighbourhood and to give the big wall of their community centre a serious lick of paint.

Joshua drew inspiration from the conversations we had with local residents, who were quite determined to see a colourful work on the wall to brighten up the rather grey surroundings. Also important: it had to reflect the function of the building – De Kardijk is a warm and welcoming meeting place that is also home to the local marching band – and there had to be a link with the centre’s name. ‘Kardijk’ is what they call ‘horse and cart’ in that part of Belgium.