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Before I Die is an interactive public art project that invites people to share their hopes and dreams in public space.

Wall Directory
Visit a Wall
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London, England
January 27 - January 29
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Denver, Colorado
May 4
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Reno, Nevada
May 17
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Johannesburg, South Africa
Upcoming
Stats From Across The World
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Latest 20 Responses
Before I die I want to say I've done it all.
Before I die I want to become a great architect.
Before I die I want to be a hairstylest.
Before I die I want to stop a plane on a runway.
Before I die I want to be described as genuine.
Before I die I want to just once, be the beautiful girl instead of the funny one.
Before I die I want to be a bus driver.
Before I die I want to get a record contract.
Before I die I want to no longer be a victim of the rules we live under.
Before I die I want to save a life!
Before I die I want to have sex on every continent.
Before I die I want to buy a tiger.
Before I die I want to find myself.
Before I die I want to eat candy.
Before I die I want to kiss Till Lindemann.
Before I die I want to travel all over the world.
Before I die I want to kiss you.
Before I die I want to make them proud.
Before I die I want to do something because I want to, not because I can.
Before I die I want to learn how to smirk.
Around Town
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NBC's Brian Williams featured the Brooklyn wall on NBC.
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Mary Elizabeth Williams asks, "Who needs a bucket list?"
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Kaid Benfield wrote about Before I Die for The Atlantic.
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Jessica Silvester wrote an article for The Oprah Magazine.
Shop
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Before I Die Toolkit
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Limited Edition Painting
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Available March 1.
Stamp Set

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Available March 1.
Letterpress Notecards

Visit the store
Build Your Own

Build a Before I Die wall
in 5 easy steps.

build
Option A
Order the Before I Die Toolkit
Option B
Use the free online guide
Questions & Resources
Can I build a Before I Die wall?
Yes, anybody can. We’ve got all the information and tools you'll need here on the site.
How do I get started?
Start by downloading a free online guide or by ordering a Before I Die Toolkit. Everything you need to know is detailed in our free guide, but the Toolkit will provide you with big, sturdy stencils and a crisply printed manual. Ordering a Toolkit can make creating your wall much easier, and it's a great way to support the project.
How do I choose a location for my wall?
Choose a place that is both visible and easily accessible to people. Almost any kind of smooth wall will work, or you can build your own using simple materials.
Do I need permission to make a wall?
If someone else owns the wall you'd like to paint, make sure to ask their permission. Often times, its best to approach property owners as partners in the project. Community organizations like schools, neighborhood associations, churches and non-profits may be interested in co-sponsoring your project.
And convincing someone to let me use their wall?
Most often, it’s as easy as asking. To help you out, we’ve created a “Letter of Support” from Before I Die’s creator Candy Chang. The letter explains the project in a clear and concise manner, and should address any concerns people have. Once you have permission, it's a good idea to ask for a written letter saying so.
Is this going to promote vandalism and graffiti?
No! Actually, Before I Die walls are proven to have the exact opposite effect. Neglected spaces can become much more active and safer too, communities are drawn together through collaboration and communication.
What if I want to create a re-mix of Before I Die? Is that ok?
By all means, you should create what inspires you. We've seen people create walls asking people everything from what they want to do before they graduate, to how they plan to reduce their carbon footprint. We simply ask that you credit Candy Chang as a source, and that you share any photographs you can.
History
“It's about remembering what's important to you.”
Candy Chang
Creator of Before I Die
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It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget what really matters to you. With help from old and new friends, artist Candy Chang turned the side of an abandoned house in her neighborhood into a giant chalkboard where residents can write on the wall and remember what is important to them.

Stencilled with the sentence “Before I die I want to _______”, the wall became a space where we could learn the hopes and dreams of the people around us. Before I Die transformed a neglected space into a constructive one to help improve our neighborhood and our personal well-being. It’s a question that changed her over the last year after she lost someone she loved very much.

The reaction to the wall was more than Candy could have ever imagined. Before I die I want… to sing for millions, to see my daughter graduate, to eat a salad with an alien, to straddle the International Date Line, to cook a soufflé, to love and be loved, to abandon all insecurities, to be completely myself…

From the funny and creative to the thoughtful and heartbreaking, the responses have made her laugh out loud and also tear up. After receiving many requests from people around the world, she and her Civic Center colleagues created a Before I Die Toolkit to help you create a wall with your community.