We Love Our Courts: How "Project in the Paint" is Designing our Future

Shameela Beeloo (https://www.instagram.com/shameelaphotography/)

The many stories I witness in past summers remind me of the innocence basketball brings into our lives. Seeing children out of school and running wild. They are free with their imagination, playing pretend on winning a game, even when they don't have much. The reality becomes clear. Their parks are vacant and courts empty. Nobody is playing. The world is quiet.

We are all born to do something and make a change. Whether it's for ourselves, in storybooks, at a factory, or watching over our loved ones. It is the mission given to everyone. A human duty that reflects the universe and our personal interests in the community.

"Project in the Paint", an organization founded by Gareth Roberts, helps develop and renovate broken basketball courts into a creative work of art. The purpose of this movement started off as a call to action. Gareth knew, according to the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport, that basketball is the second most popular in the UK for 11-15-year-olds. About 336,000 people aged 14-25 or older play basketball in the UK at least once a month. Unfortunately, even with these positive results, the amount of current funding that is contributed is not enough for the overall progression of the sport.

Gareth calculated that basketball does not require much to play, therefore should receive the proper financial assistance it deserves. So many kids are inspired by basketball players. Before he became a designer in London, Gareth was, in fact, a former under 18 National Basketball Player. He believed that playing this game allowed him to, not only stay in shape but also developed strong skills in confidence and social interaction. These skills helped carry him to a successful career and eventually, developing "Project in the Paint" as a way to show this is why we play.

Shameela Beeloo (https://www.instagram.com/shameelaphotography/)

       
As inspiration, "Project in the Paint" began by Gareth's discovery of an American company called "Project Backboard". He noticed that children were more interactive with each other with the support of bright colors. Like I mentioned above, we always tend to notice the innocence of children through their wild imaginations. Their ability to play pretend and see things that we may not be able to see. It then clicked to Gareth that the courts in the UK were more than just for sport. It's a playground of happiness. It is a place where people come together. As a creative, he used his design skills to create public art of the basketball courts. Gareth, as well as others involved with "Project in the Paint", utilized the UK environments to enhance play behaviors.

As an example, "Project in the Paint" wanted to collaborate with Chelmsford City Council Parks to help redesign one of their courts. It was the dream and mission of this group to bring their visual concepts to life. Gareth was able to build friendships and connections, which therefore assisted in their pitch at the RSA Essex Ideas Aloud Session. With the help of Spacehive, Crowdfunding, and the people of Chelmsford, "Project in the Paint" was given the chance to prove that what they do is worth it. They were passionate about making the world a more creative place for basketball players all around.

Shameela Beeloo (https://www.instagram.com/shameelaphotography/)

"Project in the Paint" doesn't simply just come up with designs for courts. A lot of patience, planning, measuring, and designing are put into the organization in order to achieve the best outcome. Gareth and his team spend hours developing the right plan for funding, permission files, and scheduling of painting the court. It was like painting within a timeframe. Each part had to be measured and calculated, in order to have it visually be symmetrical to an audience. As a designer myself, I know the importance of the steps Gareth has taken. I am happy to see another creative use both his passions into one journey.

Maybe one day, this company can inspire an increase in funding for basketball in the UK. From my own personal experiences, during my studies in Nottingham and Newcastle, people love to play this game. They get excited when others play too. It brings a whole community of friends together. I have made my fair share of friendships. Matter of fact, they became more than just friends. They became my new family. I learned to grow with people overseas, as we shared our love for the game. I hope one day, "The Hoops Creative" and "Project in the Paint" could collaborate on a court design for one of these communities. I would love that opportunity to be involved and help impact the lives of many. This is why we love our courts.

Drone photographs: Andrew Strelczak