Living Record creates experiences that help people connect, capture this moment, and imagine what comes next.
OUR WORK
We partner with schools, libraries, community organizations, cultural institutions, and workplaces to shape experiences that fit the moment—whether tied to a milestone or transition, or simply part of everyday learning and life.
Each project is designed to:
No two Living Record projects look the same, because no two communities are the same.
Some experiences become time capsules reopened years later. Others remain visible over time.
What connects all of our work is a consistent approach: creating structured opportunities for people to connect, capture this moment, and imagine what comes next.
Case Studies
What This Looks Like in Practice
The Time
Capsule Method
Though our work takes many forms, it is grounded in an intentional approach: our signature Time Capsule Method.
For us, a Time Capsule is not an object to be buried. It is a structured, time-bound process built around a deeply human need: to reflect on where we’ve been, understand where we are, and imagine what comes next.
HOW IT WORKS
Reflect
Understand where you are.
Connect
Build
community s
Imagine
Set direction for what comes next.
IMPACT
We have worked with:
Participants Engaged
Partners
Locations
After Participating
86%
say the experience helped them better understand themselves
75%
feel more proud of who they are
83%
enjoy school more on program days
Over 75%
feel better understood by peers and adults
74%
feel more excited about their future
Participants also report stronger listening and communication skills, and a greater sense of connection within their classrooms and communities.
In 2021, during a period of uncertainty and disruption, young people and communities across Chicago created Time Capsules to capture who they were in that moment and what they hoped for the future.
In 2026, we open those capsules together, creating space to reflect on what has changed, what has endured, and what comes next.
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