South Salt Lake’s Mural Fest is back and literally bigger than ever

DAAS first came to Utah when he was hired to paint a large mural inside Salt Lake City International Airport when the new facility opened in 2020.

The Austin, Texas-based artist stuck around the state for about a month, taking in all it had to offer — visiting cities like Park City and Moab, and traveling to Zion National Park. He also happened to come across a series of murals scattered throughout South Salt Lake during this time, which is when first learned about the city's Mural Fest.

Dozens of murals depicting all sorts of topics from nature, humanity and history have popped up across the city since the event debuted in 2018. So when DAAS came across a call for submissions last year, he put together his resume — highlighting the many murals he's painted all over the world — with the hope that he could add to the city's growing public art collection.

But the event has become so competitive that even an artist with his credentials missed the cut. An undeterred DAAS applied again and this time South Salt Lake selected him, assigning him to paint the south side of South Salt Lake City Hall, the event's largest mural in square footage to date.

"I don't know how I was so lucky to get that. It's a pretty big honor," he told KSL.com on Wednesday.

DAAS and 13 others beat out a record-setting field of 880 artists vying for a spot in this year's event, which takes place on Saturday .

The free event — from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. — gives people an opportunity to view the new murals during a self-guided tour and meet the artists behind them. There's also an event headquarters near the 300 East S-Line station, which will feature food trucks, music and other activities.

"The murals are really changing the face of our city and it's happening at a time where we're having organic development and businesses moving into the neighborhood, as well," said Lesly Allen, executive director of the South Salt Lake Arts Council. "It's bringing people into the neighborhood and revitalizing South Salt Lake. ... We are definitely known for our murals now."

This year's event, in its seventh year, is the biggest yet — and not just because it features the largest mural so far. The field was increased to 14 this time around — the most in one year — to chip away at a shortage that has formed in recent years.

The South Salt Lake Arts Council launched Mural Fest in 2018 with a plan to add 100 murals to the city in 10 years as a way to draw people into a downtown square that's beginning to emerge around 2100 South and State Street. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, the city fell behind on its annual goal of 10 new pieces.

It helped that there were hundreds of artists to choose from, including applicants from Canada, Mexico and Senegal, as well as plenty of in-state and out-of-state talent. But that ultimately created a new form of stress.

"That was a really big undertaking," Allen said. "Narrowing it down to 14 artists was an impossible task."

Once the field was set, the council handed out assignments to the winning muralists .

Egypt Hagen, an artist based in Arizona , landed a now-vacant fast-food restaurant building by State Street and I-80. Like DAAS, Hagen reapplied to South Salt Lake after missing the 2023 event. She decided to focus on the concept rooted in humanity.

Her piece is called "Little Boy Blew," featuring a child playing a trumpet on a gold backdrop with vivid color schemes painted throughout the side of the building. A pair of birds flutter out of the instrument. The whole thing is meant to represent the "inner child" and this idea that life shouldn't always be taken so seriously, she explains.

"I think the goal is to inspire people and bring people together through art. The fact that they're giving us artists an opportunity to do this and express ourselves and give free art to the public — it means a lot," she told KSL.com on Wednesday, shortly after she wrapped up her mural.

Several other murals feature wildlife or other nods to nature, including the large mural at city hall.

DAAS wasn't nervous about receiving the city's top building, but he also felt a responsibility to do something that could highlight the community. He reflected on the month he spent in Utah and what the state has to offer, then merged that into a creative visualization.

"I wanted to mimic, in an abstract way, the way that the hills and the mountains kind of flow across the landscape. That's something that I felt I could represent visually and also bring a much of colors that would be bright and elevating to the mind," he said. "I also wanted to take a building that might seem intimidating ... and kind of brighten it up so people who are visiting that space come in there maybe in a better mood."

South Salt Lake will now have 66 murals with the works that will be completed by Saturday, boosting its claim to having the highest concentration of public murals in the state. The event hasn't only attracted artists from across the world, but also U.S. cities interested in replicating the concept, Allen said.

The program will last for at least three more years, as the city seeks to reach 100 paintings. Its future is unclear after that.

Mural Fest is also creating a new generation of muralists, as its legacy takes shape. Emmaline Russell, who lives by the South Salt Lake-Millcreek border, was selected to be an apprentice this year as she learns the craft. She said she's inspired by the growth of public art in South Salt Lake and across the Wasatch Front.

"I think art has an important place in our daily lives," she said. "Passing murals, in addition to the beautiful mountain views, really makes my day better."