A sweeping new mural is transforming the side of the historic Murray Theater into a vibrant symbol of the city’s growth, creativity and unity. Designed under the direction of University of Utah art professor Kim Martinez, the work merges Murray’s past and present into a single visual story—a “tree of life” that celebrates the city’s evolution through art, nature and community.

Located behind the theater, the mural can best be accessed through Vine Street.

Murray residents selected this mural to be painted on the exterior of the Murray Theater. (Photo courtesy of Murray Theater)

 “The mural bursts with symbols of Murray City’s vibrant evolution, weaving together art, nature, and community spirit,” Martinez said. “At its heart, a majestic tree of life rises, its branches reaching out as a testament to strength and connection. Figures lift one another skyward, embodying the city’s spirit of support and unity.”

As the mural unfolds, elements of Murray Theater come alive in painted form. The tree’s leaves morph into music notes and bicycles, echoing the city’s new pedestrian spaces. Dancers twirl atop old theater tickets, a nod to the building’s storied history. Martinez said these touches “fuse echoes of the past with the energy of the present,” portraying Murray as “a city devoted to social justice, creativity and growth.”

Martinez emphasized that the mural was shaped through community input from the beginning. After holding an open meeting to gather ideas, her team created nine concept designs. “Students then brought these visions to life for the mayor and city council, presenting them with energy and creativity, both in words and visuals,” she said.

The process became an open forum, with city officials and residents joining the discussion. “The administration, councilmembers and community members cast their votes for the mural that best captured their spirit,” Martinez explained. “Through this collaborative journey, the project embraced a sense of social justice.”

Unlike her previous We Are Murray project, which engaged hundreds of students, high school students are not participating in this mural due to city liability policies. Even so, Martinez said the piece is a community effort in every sense. “The design process became a true collaboration, inviting ideas from community members, a local school, the city council and city employees,” she said. “We wanted to genuinely reflect the community’s unique character and dreams.”

The mural’s vivid color palette was chosen with visibility and symbolism in mind. “Vivid contrasts in color were chosen to make each shape stand out boldly, even from afar,” Martinez said. “The artwork achieves a sense of unity by balancing color intensity and arranging the scene into visually connected zones.”

“Life-size figures draw the viewer in with a sense of presence, while smaller figures recede, inviting the eye to wander deeper into the imagined space,” she added.

Painting on a historic building presented a different kind of challenge. “Unlike schools, which often cater to a specific group, historical buildings invite people from all walks of life,” Martinez said. “The city addressed all the restoration challenges to the building before we started.”

To Martinez, murals are more than decoration—they are dialogue. “Community murals have the power to spark collective action and transform how people feel about their neighborhoods,” she said. “They do more than brighten city blocks—they weave people together.”

She has seen firsthand how murals “become catalysts for healing, identity and social change.” These large-scale artworks, she said, “invite conversation and reflection, turning walls into canvases for shared stories and hopes.”

The mural is still being completed in stages. Martinez said it will take “layer upon layer of vibrant color, each one building a luminous surface where hidden hues gleam as light dances across it.” The team expects to paint the wall at least five times before the piece reaches its final brilliance.

Martinez hopes the Murray Theater mural will inspire a wave of public art throughout downtown. She has helped lead similar efforts before—in South Salt Lake, where she worked with the city to establish a mural program in 2002. “Our goal was to revitalize an aging industrial area and turn it into a vibrant community mural space,” she said.

Over 10 years, she and local youth artists completed multiple projects there. “As a university professor, I am committed to collaborating with communities to broaden art access and empower future generations through creative expression,” Martinez said.

As the Murray Theater mural nears completion, she hopes it will serve as both a landmark and a mirror—reflecting the heart of a city that continues to grow, connect and create together.

University of Utah art professor Kim Martinez, in hat, and her students were commissioned by the city to paint the Murray Theater mural. (Shaun Delliskave/City Journals)