What's Next for the Whale?
Out of the Blue, aka “The Whale,” is getting a new mural next summer! As part of a rotating mural program, the sculpture is repainted every 3–5 years, keeping the artwork current and reflective of the 9th and 9th neighborhood. The current mural, Point of Reference by Mike Murdock, has transformed the sculpture into a strong symbol of community, creativity, resilience, and harmony.
The Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Public Art Program wants your input to help shape the artist selection process and inspire the next muralist!
Phases
Take the Survey
Exciting changes are coming to Out of the Blue—also known as “The Whale”! 🐋 A local artist will paint a new mural on this iconic sculpture at the 9th & 9th roundabout in summer 2026.
Before we search for the next muralist, we want to hear from you! What does The Whale mean to you? What makes 9th & 9th special? What is “Out of the Blue” about Salt Lake City? Your feedback will guide our search and be shared with the selected artist to inspire their design.
Completing this survey is completely optional. Your response will not be made public and only be used for City-related business.
The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete. Follow the project on shapeSLC for updates throughout the artist selection process.
If you have any questions or run into issues, please contact publicartprogram@slc.gov