Unlikely Collaborators Presents: "Designing Belonging: Creativity, Grief & the Spaces Between Us" with Candy Chang

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Unlikely Collaborators will host a Spark Salon featuring internationally acclaimed artist and urban designer Candy Chang on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET. In Designing Belonging: Creativity, Grief & the Spaces Between Us, Candy will explore how art and public spaces can help us process grief, spark dialogue, and foster a deeper sense of connection in an era of growing isolation and division.

The Spark Salon will be held in person at Unlikely Collaborators' Santa Monica headquarters and livestreamed online. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for a reception. The program begins promptly at 7:00 p.m. Admission is complimentary, but registration is required.

Register now to secure your spot

Event Details

• What: Spark Salon – Designing Belonging: Creativity, Grief & the Spaces Between Us with Candy Chang
   
• When: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 | Doors open 6:00 p.m., Program 7:00 p.m. PT
   
• Where: Unlikely Collaborators Headquarters, Santa Monica, CA + livestream
   
• Cost: Free (registration required)

About Candy Chang

Candy Chang is best known for the Before I Die project, which began when she stenciled the prompt "Before I die I want to ________" on a chalkboard wall of an abandoned house in New Orleans after losing someone she loved. Since then, the participatory project has grown into a global phenomenon with more than 5,000 walls in over 70 countries, including Iraq, China, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and South Africa. The Atlantic called it "one of the most creative community projects ever."

Her other works include A Monument for the Anxious and Hopeful at the Rubin Museum of Art, which amassed more than 55,000 submissions; Neighborland, a civic engagement platform; and installations across museums, neighborhoods, and unexpected spaces from Las Vegas casinos to Hong Kong streets. Candy's projects have been featured by CNN, NBC, TED, and WIRED, and exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the New Museum, and Tate Modern. She is a TED Senior Fellow, Urban Innovation Fellow, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.

Through her installations and talks, Candy offers a powerful vision for how creativity can transform grief, nurture belonging, and inspire collective healing.

About Spark Salons

Spark Salons are a signature program of Unlikely Collaborators, the nonprofit founded by Elizabeth R. Koch. These gatherings bring together grantees, researchers, artists, and collaborators for conversations that challenge perspectives and deepen connections. Past speakers have included Past speakers have included illusionist Harris III, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, nutrition therapist Kim Shapira, MS, RD, mythologist John Bucher and Harvard Business School professor, author Michael Norton, PhD., Visionary Violinist Vijay Gupta, and chef and entrepreneur Ellen Bennett.

Watch the Spark Salons Trailer

Upcoming Spark Salons:

• Jud Brewer, MD, PhD, professor at Brown University and New York Times bestselling author of Unwinding Anxiety on:
  • October 6, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET (online only). Decoding the Habit Code: How Our Brains Get Stuck on Repeat
  • October 13, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET (online only). Rewiring Rewards: Breaking Free from Old Habits.
  • October 20, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET (online only). From Quick Fix to Lasting Freedom: Finding What's Better Than the Habit.
• Alexandra Samuel, PhD, digital workplace expert and co-author of Remote, Inc. | October 21, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. PT / 10:00 p.m. ET.

About Unlikely Collaborators

Unlikely Collaborators  is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people see themselves and the world more clearly. Founded by Elizabeth R. Koch, the organization is built on the Perception Box™ framework, which explores how our unconscious lens shaped by our experiences, beliefs, fears, and identities affects the way we interpret the world. By becoming aware of our Perception Box, we can take the first step toward real change.

SOURCE Unlikely Collaborators