This is the 899th most frequent French word.
association
An organization or group of people united for a common purpose.
Here, 'association' means the connection or relationship between ideas or mental concepts.
Une association d'idées m'a conduit à résoudre le problème.
An association of ideas led me to solve the problem.
In this case, 'association' describes a connection or linkage in general context, specifically the pairing of ideas or feelings with certain stimuli.
Cette couleur est souvent en association avec la joie.
This color is often in association with joy.
In this sentence, 'association' refers to an organized group or society formed for a specific purpose, in this case, cultural activities.