Community Engagement Behind A ‘Town in Motion’

Jul 16

Earlier this year, we completed the latest addition to the Ashford Unframed mural trail in collaboration with London-based artist, illustrator and animator Will Barras.

Known for his distinctive visual language, characterised by fluid perspectives, expressive gestural lines and a strong sense of movement, Barras' work often explores the relationship between people, place and energy. His dynamic style made him a natural choice for a project celebrating Ashford's identity.

Will Barras ‘ A town in motion’ Ashford Borough Council

Having wanted to collaborate with Barras for some time, this project provided the perfect opportunity. The brief was to create a mural that celebrates Ashford's energy, movement and connections, while responding to ideas gathered through community engagement.

To help shape the artwork, we worked closely with Ashford Borough Council's Arts, Culture and Heritage Manager, Chris Dixon. Through a series of workshops and conversations, we explored what local people value most about Ashford and what they wanted to see celebrated through a new piece of public art.

One of the workshops was held in collaboration with the Jasmin Vardimon Company, one of the UK's leading dance theatre organisations. Based at JV H.O.M.E in Ashford, the company is internationally recognised for creating visually striking performances that combine movement, theatre and social storytelling. We had the opportunity to speak with both Jasmin Vardimon and her students, whose insights into movement, expression and connection helped shape themes that informed the final mural.

Another workshop was held with Natural England, where staff met with Will Barras to explore how Ashford and Kent's landscapes, wildlife and vibrant natural environment could be reflected in the mural. Through discussion and a series of drawings, participants shared ideas that celebrated the area's biodiversity and sense of place, helping to shape the visual direction of the final artwork.

The final workshop was held in collaboration with Ashford Borough Council's Housing Service, where we met with several local residents to discuss their experiences of living in Ashford and what they felt should be reflected in a piece of public art. One resident, who had been supported by the Housing Service and had lived in Ashford for many years, spoke about the importance of creating a mural that conveyed a positive message for the town. Together with sketches and conversations from the wider group, these insights helped reinforce the mural's themes of optimism, connection and community.

Will Barras sketches and notes from Ashford Housing service workshop

Will Barras sketch from Natural England Workshop

Across all three workshops, common themes of movement, nature, connection and optimism began to emerge. These ideas formed the foundation of Will Barras' final composition, ensuring the mural reflected not only the original brief but also the voices of the people who helped shape it.

After months of workshops, conversations and design development, A Town in Motion was brought to life over the course of a week in the heart of Ashford. Throughout the installation, the response from the public was overwhelmingly positive, with local residents stopping to chat, share their thoughts and watch the artwork take shape. Since its completion, A Town in Motion has continued to receive a fantastic response both in person and online, with many people praising the way it reflects Ashford's energy, creativity and community spirit.

‘A town in motion’ completed at Ashford Borough Council, International House

Reflecting on the project, Will Barras said:

"This has been a really rewarding project to be part of from start to finish. Everyone was incredibly encouraging during the week of painting, and it was great to have so many conversations with local people and the community.
The workshops and consultations with Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company and Ashford residents really helped develop the ideas behind the mural, creating a piece of art that the community can feel connected to."

For us, this project demonstrates the value of meaningful community engagement in shaping public art. By listening to local voices throughout the creative process, A Town in Motion has become more than a mural—it reflects the people, stories and shared identity that make Ashford unique.

Whether through workshops, consultations or conversations on site, community engagement remains at the heart of our approach to creating public art that is distinctive, authentic and rooted in place.

See full pictures of the final piece here