Community murals are living archives.
When we care for them, we care for the stories of who we are.
Together with artists and communities, we protect murals, preserve their place in public space, and promote the artists and stories behind them.
Cultural Erasure
Reversing Cultural Erasure
Preserving the cultural and visual legacy of community murals through care and advocacy.
The Chicana/o/x Murals of Colorado Project (CMCP) began as a statewide effort to preserve the legacy of Chicana/o/x and Latino/a/x community murals.
Today, the project continues in and beyond Colorado, expanding through partnerships with artists and communities who care for murals as living expressions of memory, identity, and belonging.
This preservation practice grows from decades of mural-making and community collaboration through Emanuel Project’s Murals of Hope program.
It unfolds in partnership with artists and neighborhood stakeholders and is often supported through grant-funded initiatives and collaborative planning. These efforts include artist-led condition assessments, community consultation, documentation, and long-term care planning.
Over time, we have learned that preserving murals is not only about maintaining paint and surface, but about honoring cultural memory and shared responsibility for place. Preservation is a reflective practice shaped by listening, attention, and ongoing learning alongside artists and communities as neighborhoods change.
“Growing up seeing Chicano murals, what inspired me was you could see yourself reflected, you could see your history that you weren't taught or learned”
Tony Ortega, Artist
Inspiring Shared Careand Responsibility
Inspiring Shared Care and Responsibility
Together, we care for murals through promotion, preservation, and protection.
Promote
Through grassroots community engagement, we promote awareness of the cultural significance of community murals. Through public involvement and advocacy, we work to ensure these murals are recognized for their historical and cultural significance and cared for in the places they belong.
Preserve
We protect community murals by assessing their condition and vulnerability to damage or removal, and working closely with artists and communities to guide restoration and long-term care. At-risk murals are prioritized for documentation, protective coatings, restoration, and pursuit of historical landmark status.
Protect
Documentation is the first step in preserving murals and their stories, helping ensure cultural memory is not lost through neglect, displacement, or erasure. Additional funding is often needed to ensure their longevity with documentation, stabilization, and legal protections, especially for murals damaged by graffiti, construction, or natural elements.
Significant Achievements
In 2022, the National Trust for Historic Preservation included the Chicano/a/x Community Murals of Colorado among its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, highlighting the urgent need for their protection. This initiative aims to raise awareness about threats to important national cultural sites. While the exact number is unknown, over 40 historic Chicano/a/x murals are believed to exist across various regions in Colorado, including the Great Plains and Denver.
Multiple restoration projects are underway for historic murals in communities across Colorado and New Mexico.
Protective coating applied to twenty community murals in Denver (2022-2024).
Restoration of the Huitziliopochtli mural in West Denver that was whitewashed in 2020.
Listing of Sierras y Colores mural in San Luis on the National Register of Historic Places, 2023.
The co-production of the documentary “These Storied Walls: Chicano Community Murals of Colorado” in 2022.
GetInvolved
Help us keep our community stories alive.
Preservation takes hands, time, and community. Whether you’re an artist, a student, or a neighbor, there’s a way to join this work.