About Us
Who We Are
Mission/Vision
Mural Routes activates communities by facilitating the creation of responsive, collaborative murals, and provides opportunities to build and advance careers in mural art. Our vision is to be a leading resource for all artists, organizations and communities creating mural art.
Our Goals
What We Do

Mural Projects
Since 1990 Mural Routes has worked with communities and artists to create over 75 murals across Toronto. View Our Projects →
Public Art Management
We are experts in the development and installation of public wall art projects.
Commissions
We send job opportunities and public art calls to member artists, connecting them with local and international commissions and competitions.
Learning/Mentorship
We have trained over 250 mural artists and run 20 National Mural Symposia. About Our Programs →
Consulting
Mural Routes offers consultations, presentations, and guidance to help get public art projects off the ground.
Networking
Through our online presence, membership, and programs, Mural Routes provides a hub where artists and communities can connect and share.
Resources
Our website provides information for artists and administrators interested in mural creation. We have produced Mural Production: A Resource Handbook, a History of Mural Art CD, and a wealth of resource materials that are available to the public. Mural Resources →

Staff & Board of Directors
Staff
Marta Keller-Hernandez, Managing Director
marta@muralroutes.ca
About Marta
Originally from Spain, Marta Keller-Hernandez holds Degrees in Tourism and Humanities, a Masters in Social Media Marketing from the University of Alicante (Spain), and a Graduate Certificate in Culture and Heritage Site Management from Centennial College. In Toronto, Marta has worked with a wide range of arts and culture organizations such as Black Artists’ Networks Dialogue, Latin American Canadian Art Projects and Sur Gallery, Heritage Toronto, and Art Starts. Also, Marta is the co-founder of Paralia Newcomer Arts Network, the recipient of the Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship grant in the capacity of mentor and a Toronto Arts Council 2018 Leaders Lab fellow.
Kim Dayman, Program + Project Coordinator
kim@muralroutes.ca
About Kim
Kim is an artist, arts manager and advocate across the GTA for the past 20 years. She holds a BFA from OCAD University and has pursued continuing education through Toronto Metropolitan University in Non-profit Management. Throughout her career she has worked for award winning organizations such as Lakeshore Arts, Art Starts and the Living Arts Centre. Kim strongly believes in mentorship, volunteering, and advocacy and has held positions at Humber College’s VADA Program Advisory Committee and with Arts Vote Toronto. In addition, she is also an accomplished community engaged artist having programmed and facilitated exhibitions, festivals and workshops for groups large and small. As an artist she is a mixed media printmaker formerly with the inPrint Collective and has showcased her work in galleries and taken part in residencies across Ontario.
Jackie Santos, Tech Lead & MR Circle Coordinator
jackie@muralroutes.ca
About Jackie
Jackie has a long and rich history volunteering and working with Mural Routes. From database management to website design to assisting at the first mural symposia, she has been involved with the organization for many years. After working as a Project and Account manager at a busy marketing firm, Jackie was the first to hold the position of Executive Director of Mural Routes (from 2003-2005). She took a break to have her two children and pursue a career as a Nutritionist but always remained involved with Mural Routes. As someone who is passionate about the arts and community – Jackie is thrilled to be working with Mural Routes as the Tech Lead & MR Circle Coordinator. Jackie studied Business Administration and Computer Science at Toronto Metropolitan University and is an Honours Graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.
Rob Matejka, Lead Instructor – Contract Basis
About Rob
Through his artistic journey Rob Matejka has embraced art as a medium for positive social intervention and is enjoying animating the communities and people he works with – making art accessible to all through workshops, mentoring, and adding to the growing outdoor public gallery. Rob has been an arts educator and mentor for Mural Routes for over 10 years, and has worked freelance with The City of Toronto, Toronto school boards, Toronto Public Libraries, and arts organizations across the city such as VIBE Arts, Lakeshore Arts, and Arts Etobicoke. Rob enjoys using murals to create spaces we enter and experience physically – while coordinating large scale projects engaging large numbers of community members to beautify communities and build community pride.
Board of Directors
Kira Allen, Chair
president@muralroutes.ca
About Kira
Introduced to the magic of theatre and the arts at a young age, Kira is an arts manager who is drawn to storytelling in all its myriad forms. Combining her background in Drama from the University of Toronto with a certification in Finance and Accounting from Toronto Metropolitan University, Kira is currently the Executive Director at b current Performing Arts. Her leadership involves overseeing operational and financial aspects while actively seeking continuous learning through research and courses. Kira’s diverse skills, experience as a Black woman in the arts sector, and hidden talents like classical singing and baking, all contribute to her unique perspective. She envisions inclusive environments and believes in the power of representation and diversity for healthier workplaces.
Omar Hopkinson AKA OMS, Vice-Chair & Secretary
About Omar
Omar Hopkinson (b. 1977) is an award winning contemporary artist who currently specializes in large scale painting with a concentration on abstract forms and abstract impressionism. His artwork focuses on self reflection and tells the story of the black experience through colour, symbolism and imagery. Hopkinson is a widely celebrated artist who was classically trained at the prestigious Ontario College of Art and Design and early career is versed in the live art and mural space. Omar uses his creative career as a conduit to amplify the voices of the unheard, and while he still invests in this studio practice, he ensures to connect his creativity to communities that he serves. He has held professional appointments on Arts Milton Board of Directors, The Town Milton’s Culture Planning Committee, and is also a Creative Strategist with The Noir Experience (A collective showcasing under represented chefs providing high end dining experiences). Omar is a seasoned leader, who also leads a North American team at an industry leading tech company and is a husband and father of 3.
Cecilia Garcia, Treasurer
About Cecilia
Cecília is an arts manager, fundraiser, community organizer, and multidisciplinary emerging artist based in Tkaronto. Originally from Brazil, Cecília holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Diploma in Arts Management. She has built a diverse portfolio working and volunteering in the Canadian arts sector at multiple organizations, including CONOSER, Queen Gallery, Regent Park Film Festival, Airsa, Hot Docs, North York Arts, and others. Currently, Cecília is the Operations Advisor at the Community Arts Guild and a Fundraising Consultant at Forward Avenue. She has experience in multiple areas in the sector, including programming, volunteer management, arts facilitation, and fundraising. Throughout her career, Cecília has had the immense privilege of participating in organizations and projects that have helped build communities through the arts. She is excited to be a part of the Mural Routes Board and continue to contribute to creating a thriving arts sector.
Our Process
Every mural is a collaborative process.
At Mural Routes, we endeavour to meaningfully engage diverse communities throughout the planning and execution process of every mural project we undertake.
Envision: we partner with artists, community organizations and other stakeholders to imagine mural projects that are responsive to the communities they live in. We authentically engage and include diverse voices in representing these communities to ensure each mural project addresses each particular community’s needs.
Engage: through our programs, community members gain the skills and confidence to participate in public mural art projects in their communities. We create a space for sharing, connecting and community building around the mural project and consult the community and listen to their input throughout this process: from surveys to in-person consultation events, our goal is to increase community participation while giving a voice to the voiceless.
Activate: Led by professional artists, we invite community members to contribute to the mural artwork. Once complete, we celebrate the artists, the community and their accomplishments. Over time, these mural projects increase the usage of community/public space while being cared for and stewarded by the local community.
Advance: by facilitating these mural projects, we are able to support artists to develop sustainable careers in the arts. We offer professional development and paid project opportunities and strive to foster greater diversity and equity in the field of mural art.
Our History
Mural Routes was started in 1990 as a public art project of Scarborough Arts. The project aimed to celebrate the heritage of Scarborough, Ontario, and to place art in everyday community spaces, to put art in front of people as they went about their daily business. After creating the original “mural route,” a Heritage Trail along Kingston Rd., Mural Routes was incorporated as a separate organization in 1994.
Since then, Mural Routes has grown into an organization that has embraced public mural art as a way to change the feeling and the face of neighbourhoods in the busy urban sprawl of Toronto. From creating murals, we expanded our efforts into mentoring youth, supporting artists, and encouraging communities to create public art, always following our motto, “teach, learn, share, and grow.”
Mural Routes has assisted many communities and artists in creating outdoor murals that enhance their neighbourhoods. Mural Routes has become the “go to” place for information and advice on mural creation and continues to provide support and consultation to a large network of artists, managers, and organizations.
Youth initiatives and education in mural art have been a high priority for Mural Routes. In 2016 we launched the Mural Art Learning Institute (MURALI), a continuum of training programs in all aspects of mural-making.
Founder

Karin Eaton, founder and former Executive & Artistic Director of Mural Routes (2005-2018), boasts over 30 years in arts management, specializing in community engagement. Recognized as a leader in Toronto’s community mural production, she’s spoken at five Global Mural Conferences, presented papers at international mural events, and managed 50+ murals in Toronto. She developed the National Mural Symposium (Canada) in 1995, produced 18 symposia, and oversaw mural art education programs. Karin served on various arts and community committees, received notable awards, and retired from Mural Routes in 2018, leaving a lasting legacy.