Street Art in Verviers: comic book heroes and colorful multiculturalism.

Street Art in Verviers?
We had heard about Street Art in Liège, Mons, Namur and Charleroi. But Verviers? Since the beginning of 2021, Verviers has its own course, beautifully published in a practical brochure, in Dutch and French. You can pick them up at the tourist office or simply download them (Dutch or French).

Street Art has its own character in Verviers which, unlike other cities, is closely linked to the identity of the city. Since the wealthy wool industry plummeted in the mid-1970s, the heart of the city along the Vesder has been a motley collection of old industrial buildings, a rich heritage of mansions from the 18th to early 20th centuries and neglected working-class neighborhoods. For decades, the city has been fighting against degradation. It was one of the first cities to convert factories and workshops into residential facilities and there are fine examples of this. But the mediatized citizen has moved to the more spacious and greener neighborhoods outside the center, such as the villa neighborhoods in Heusy. The city center, on the other hand, has attracted low-income migrant families and has become a melting pot of dozens of ethnic groups. For several decades, the city has made great efforts to support this multiculturalism and make it coexist in a tolerant, even solidarity-based manner. In Verviers, it is indeed a "verb" in which local residents are actively involved. Youth centres, workshops for young and old, homework schools and many other organizations often work from this idea of harmony. Art, whether paintings, music or sculptures, is a language that transcends social differences and unites people. In Verviers, every visitor can see it in the street in the colorful murals. Many frescoes were born out of concern for human rights, equality and solidarity, far from hatred and fear. A significant number of frescoes in the city come from the "Dire Nous" project.

What is "Say Us"? "Dire Nous" is a book by French investigative journalist Edwy Plenel, written in 2016, a year after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris. The book is not really known in Flanders, but even more so in French-speaking countries. Plenel exposed one of France's biggest political scandals: the attack on the Rainbow Warrior in 1985. He was editor-in-chief of Le Monde for ten years. Since 2007, he has been running the successful independent news website Mediapart. The Maison des Jeunes des Récollets uses this essay to make young people think about the themes of multiculturalism, tolerance, solidarity, citizenship, democracy... Each fresco contains a quote from the book.

Because Verviers has many well-known cartoonists, there are of course some facades decorated with the work of these artists.

There is also the work of the younger residents. This way, you will certainly be happy with the colorful sofas and imaginative poles, painted by the children of the homework school, La Page.

About the trail
The trail starts at the House of Water, an interactive museum, and runs from west to east through a town that has developed mainly along the Vesder River. Usually we walk along the streets, but there is a very nice one-kilometer route along the banks of the Vesder. About halfway through the city to the south and past the interesting heritage of the city. Be sure to stop and admire City Hall. When you return to the west, you arrive at kilometer 5.35 on the lively center. Green Square and Martyr's Square certainly invite you to eat or drink something and watch the colorful crowd.

Food and beverages
In Verviers, you can eat and drink well at very friendly prices. On the route, especially the start on the rue Jules Cerexhe and towards the end, the Place Verte and the Place du Martyr, invite you to continue having fun.

Park
Parking is paid in the city center, but you can park for free near the starting point of the shopping center on Gérard Champs or in the streets north of the Vesder.

Transit
Verviers is located on the railway line from Ostend to Eupen. You have frequent connections throughout the week. From the train station you can connect to the route after only 10 minutes.