"Don't be afraid. Don't be timid." She has spent years coaxing shy artists out of the loft's back rooms and into the front windows where people could actually watch them work, and she has kept learning herself well into her sixties, teaching herself search engine tags with help from a chatbot, leaning on her grandchildren whenever the technology outruns her. "Who would've thought an old lady would learn that stuff?" she says, laughing at herself. "But you got to. It's a tool. You gotta move with how technology moves, which is difficult for people my age."

"It's always fixable," she says. "I think so many people are held back because they're afraid they're going to do it wrong, or that they can't correct it. But with art, you can always fix it. You can always go back." She pauses. "A lot of artists get caught up in that fear, and the fear just stops them."

When asked what she'd tell artists just starting out, Murray doesn't hesitate. “Apply for the Artist Support Grant” she says, but do it right. Network locally, show up to conferences like the Tri-State, bring a piece to the pop-up exhibits. Let other artists look at your applications. "Artist friends are great because they can help you with your applications," she says, "and be like, hey, is this the right way to ask for that?" Get out of your studio. Find your people. Ask for help before you need it. 

He tells young musicians that the violin is a lifelong companion, not a quick pursuit, and that steady, daily practice builds more confidence than flashes of talent ever could.

What makes the Music House remarkable isn’t only the music, but the way history and art converge under its roof. It’s a reminder of the power to transform something lost into a place of celebration and joy, a place “where music lives.”

In an era when small town cultural venues are disappearing, the JPAC stands as proof that quality entertainment doesn't require big-city infrastructure; just vision, dedication, a lot of elbow grease, and the kind of community support that turns a college theater into a regional treasure. 

"You have to have strong hands to do this," Mike recalls his mentor telling him decades ago, gripping his apprentice's palms to test their fortitude. "And you have to have a made-up mind. I have both.” he responded, and he does.