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Before I Die walls appear across Scotland
‘Be cut in half by a magician in Vegas.’ ‘Swim
naked.’ ‘See
my grandchildren grow up.’ ‘Sing
a duet with Rufus Wainwright.’ What do you want to do before you die?
These are just a few of the responses to the question being asked this week by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief, to mark Scotland's first ever death awareness week. Across Scotland, people who believe that Scotland should be a place where we can be open about death, dying and bereavement are constructing 'Before I Die' walls.
Before I Die is a global public art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in public space. Begun by artist Candy Chang (after losing someone she loved) and friends on an abandoned house in the New Orleans neighbourhood, the project is about remembering what is important to you.
From urban locations like Glasgow and Edinburgh to more remote locations like Stornoway and Torphins, people across Scotland will have the chance to share their hopes and dreams in public space. Find a Before I Die wall near you here.
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief have also opened up the public space that is their website to create a virtual Before I Die wall.
All of this is to raise awareness of the need for Scotland to be a place where people can be open about death, dying and bereavement.
Awareness Week approaches...
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief Awareness Week will take place 13th-15th May. Members across Scotland have been organising awareness week events with fantastic energy and enthusiasm, and usually very little time or money! From interested individuals to established organisations, all over Scotland people have been taking action to promote more openness about death, dying and bereavement.
We expect to see Before I Die walls popping up across the country, and will publish a list on our website next week. Other activities include shopping centre events, workshops, drop-in sessions, a death café, a film screening and a theatre performance. A list of events is available on the Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief website. We would love to be able to list all relevant events on our website, so please get in touch if you're planning something.
Funding Announced
We are pleased to announce that a small grants programme has been set up to support GLGDGG members to undertake activities, events or projects aimed at helping Scotland to become a place where people are more open about death, dying and bereavement.
Specifically, we are looking to fund projects that:
- Help people to find ways of dealing with their own experiences of death, dying and bereavement.
- Help individuals and communities to support those who are experiencing difficult times associated with death, dying and bereavement.
- Support NHS and social care staff and volunteers to work compassionately and constructively with those who are dying or have been recently bereaved.
- Help people to make practical preparations for their death, for example Will, Power of Attorney and Advance Care Planning.
- Promote openness/discussion of death, dying and bereavement.
Member organisations can apply for a maximum grant of £500, and the closing date for applications is Monday 8 April to allow applications to be processed and relevant money distributed in time for Awareness Week. (Applications are also accepted for activities scheduled outside Awareness Week.) We appreciate the timescale is tight and with this in mind the application form is designed to be straightforward to complete.
Awareness Week 2013
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief Awareness Week will take place 13 - 19 May 2013. With the support and enthusiasm of members, we hope to make one week in May a hive of activity, putting on a range of events and activities to raise awareness of the need for Scotland to become a place where people can be open about death, dying and bereavement.
During Awareness Week, we hope each member will do one thing to raise awareness in their own area. Members are being invited to:
- Help to create a Scotland-wide Before I Die wall.
- Link up with other GLGDGG members locally to put on an event.
- Undertake another event or activity on a relevant area of interest or need.
For more information about GLGDGG Awareness Week 2013, check out the Awareness Week section of our website.
GLGDGG members make 'Before I die...' wall
Before I Die is a global public art project that invites people to reflect on their lives and share their personal aspirations in public space.
Begun by artist Candy Chang (after losing someone she loved) and friends on an abandoned house in the New Orleans neighbourhood, the project is about remembering what is important to you and creating public spaces that better reflect what matters to us as a community and as individuals.
Inspired by this, the Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief stakeholder event last November provided delegates with the opportunity to contribute to their own Before I Die wall, created in chalk and black paper inside the walls of the conference room at Edinburgh Zoo.
Photos of the Edinburgh Before I die wall are available here.
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