I recently visited the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, and it turned out to be such a refreshing mix of entertainment and education. The museum features five thoughtfully curated galleries, each with its own distinct personality, showcasing everything from emerging local talent to nationally and internationally recognized artists. What I really appreciated is how immersive the experience feels--you're not just walking past art, you're engaging with it. The variety of mediums keeps things interesting, from traditional works to more experimental and contemporary pieces. It's the kind of place where you can take your time, learn something new, and still have fun doing it. Another highlight is the artist cooperative gallery nearby, which adds a more personal, community-driven touch. It's a great way to see and even support local artists, making the whole visit feel more connected and meaningful. Overall, it's a beautifully curated space that manages to be both intellectually stimulating and genuinely enjoyable. Whether you're an art enthusiast or just looking for something different to do, this museum is absolutely worth exploring. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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I've been coming to the Mesa Arts Center for years! For graduation ceremonies of the university i work at. The staff are friendly and helpful. The sound engineers are very knowledgeable. There are two green rooms we use - both have the space to accommodate approximately 40 faculty members who make up the stage party. I sing the national anthem for the graduation ceremony and let me simply say how amazing their sound system is. There used to be no sound delay. The sound is crisp. And I think the sound system makes me sound even better than I really am!! lol The lobby area is spacious and great for after-ceremony gatherings. It truly is a great place! I also have contemplated taking some of the arts classes they offer. I haven't found time in my busy schedule but I do know they offer a variety if classes. I look forward to when I can take a class!! read more

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My mom and I came here for the first for the Shen Yu. Great event we go every year but this year we decided to try the mesa location. We chose the sitting on the higher levels which we liked but don't chose the edge of the row cause then you can't see the side of the stage. Choose more in the middle. I was not happy with the bathroom stall I used. It seems when so many other people slam their doors my door became unlocked and opened on me while using the restroom. The bathroom was very clean!! The other annoying part was there was only one person working the concession stand. So we couldn't get anything. Cause our intermission ended by the time we got to the front of the line. read more

I was anxious to see the new exhibit at the Mesa Arts Center. I was not disappointed. Staff greeted and remembered me from past visits. They had interesting installation art. My favorite exhibit was the use of basketry incorporating recycled beach items. It had texture, movement and was put together in a pleasing manner. Every time you looked at the piece, you found something new. I even returned to study it in detail. Wonderful! I really enjoyed this visit. Free street parking and WiFi inside the gallery. read more

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A great, midsize venue with terrific sound quality, wonderful staff and easy access to resources like bathrooms, concessions, etc. The parking lot is a bit small, but free. It's also a nice option that doesn't require a trip to Downtown Phoenix. read more

I always enjoy coming to this venue as parking is typically easy via the outside lot, or nearby streets & lots. Depending on the event, you might consider the garage parking as it's right next to the theater (for those ladies in heels) & it's ~$10. Prices inside are reasonable at the concession stand and seating has decent spacing. It can be a little hard to pass, but I've had worse. Suggestion, if you don't typically get up much, aim for the middle of the row so it doesn't impact your experience. This time we came to watch the Tina Turner Musical and it was about 85% full at this particular showing. Overall, the sound, lights, staff and venue were great. Make sure to sign up to get notifications about upcoming events as 2026 looks to be really good with some fun events. read more

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I've been to Mesa Arts Center twice: once on a Sunday for a matinee performance of 1984 (one of my favorite books) and once on a Monday evening for Straight No Chaser in concert. Both experiences have been top notch. First off, the parking. While I haven't been on a Friday or Saturday night, I can report that parking is a cinch. There's a good amount of free street parking a few minutes away by foot. When I compare this to the parking situation in downtown Phoenix, it's a breathe of fresh air. Cheers to the 'burbs! Next up, the venue itself. It's a beautiful building in the heart of downtown Mesa. Nice architecture, clean, and modern. There are several theaters inside. 1984 was in a pretty small, intimate theater. Straight No Chaser was in IKEDA Theater which is larger (two levels). Unfortunately, there are limited views from some seats (which is a bit annoying), but I was able to move to a better seat since it wasn't sold out. All in all, the Mesa Arts Center is a great venue. They put on a nice variety of concerts, plays, and musicals. And even events like a Dia de Los Muertos festival. Cheers to the arts! read more

I had tickets to the Twilight In Concert show last night and it was a lot of fun. I bought 2 tickets online and was lucky enough to get them as they had been sold out for weeks. We called the box office a few days prior and they recommended we check on the day of the show for any tickets that had been released. We got dropped off and it was smooth sailing from there. We passed through security and went over to the merch table. Here we bought Twilight shirts and some cute Twilight car air fresheners. The ushers were super friendly and told us where to go to find our seats. We were in the Ikeda theater which was pretty big. Our seats were row M seats 30 and 31 and it was great view. The seats were comfy and the temp in the theater was good. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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I came with my sister to the free art night and we had a fun time. They had 3 installations set up and open and they were unique and different. Staff was friendly. read more

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Visited last night for the Phil Collins story!!! The mezzanine seats were fantastic. So roomy and comfortable. All staff members that I interacted with were friendly and helpful. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Phil Collins Story - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Mesa Arts Center hosted a Día de los Muertos annual event in collaboration with the community. It was a great event that had a variety of vendors (food and merchandise), music and dance performances, a community ofrenda, plenty of seatings and it was all laid out through out the art center. We had a great time and loved all the whole experience. Día de los Muertos Festival Oct. 25 - 26, 2025 read more

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My husband and I went to the Mesa Arts Center for a MasterChef show that was touring through many cities. This was our first event here which went well. They have a big surface lot for parking and then additional space in the parking garage (available after 5pm on weekdays). They have multiple buildings; we of course had gone to the one with the auditoriums. People who were working guided us through the lines for our VIP experience & then the regular show. Seating was not overly comfortable but not bad either. It is a bit of a pain to get in and out since it's long rows with not much space between you & the chair in front of you. I've seen many events come up online that are hosted here throughout the year. I look forward to coming to one of those in the future! read more

I haven't reviewed MAC? That's surprising because we are literally here every other weekend to walk around! This is a beautiful, open air space for various community events. We've attended shows here -- all fantastic! There is plenty of parking in the garage and free parking in the streets across. We've attended festivals here and farmer's markets when it was just starting out - so much community and very welcoming. But my most favorite, it their free art museum! They have a great rotating schedule and beautiful art from local artists. I absolutely recommend stopping by, even to just walk around. There are plenty of areas for great photo opportunities as well! read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

The first time that I visited the Mesa Arts Center was when I was a photography student at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. I was doing a photo project on complementary colors and someone suggested I shoot some photos here. Since discovering this place, I have attended many of their opening receptions. I recently moved to Mesa and have been coming here more often for various events. There are a lot of great restaurants on Main Street that make visiting the Mesa Arts Center a fun-filled evening out. Mesa Arts Center is a performing and visual arts complex that resides in the heart of Downtown Mesa. There is a Valley Metro light rail stop in front of it on Main Street. It has four performance venues and is one of the largest art campuses in the state. I love the architecture and design of this complex. The performance venues host anything from concerts to theater to speaking engagements. I have seen a couple of concerts, a play and watched a ski flick here in the past. The annual Day of the Dead festival is free and always a fun time during the Fall season. Mesa Arts Center offers art classes and has a small gift shop. My favorite time to come here is during their Fall, Spring and Summer opening receptions when they feature new exhibitions from different artists. These are free to attend and always draws a great crowd. read more

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The Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum a few times a year when they have new exhibits. I really wanted to see the current exhibit before it gets changed out in May, so we stopped by on our way home and went in for just a little while. I specifically wanted to see the John Randolph Nelson sculpture, and I'm so glad I got a chance to see it. This is a small museum, but it always has great exhibits. I highly recommend it, and it's free! read more

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I was supposed to go to a buddy's gig tonight but because there was indoor smoking, we decided best that I skip. So, I was looking for something casual to do tonight and saw that the Mesa Contempary Arts Museum on the grounds of the Mesa Arts Center was having their 2025 Spring Opening Reception tonight. Opening Receptions happen quarterly here so it was a nice treat to check this place out. Normally, there are limited hours here, but tonight the museum was open until 10pm. The museum store also open to 10pm. There is a parking lot and a garage too. I parked on a street not too far away, was nice to walk over. The reception starts at 7pm and there was a good line started to get inside! At 7pm, they let you in and then you proceed downstairs. It's an interesting building where artwork is one floor down. They had some nice light bites here to nibble on, a DJ spinning music, and cash bar available. Only gripe here is that they won't allow you to take your adult beverage around as you explore the art, bummer. Great to see some of the art here and I absolutely loved the artwork by Joseph Sivilli (Posthistoric Evolution) and Martin Dmitrov (Nocturnal Garden). It was a fun way to spend the night, get a little culture and catch up with a likeminded friend. read more

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Unexpected stop to Mesa Arts Center with the Mercuria Ohana race weekend. The first night most of us got in for our race weekend. One of the story tellers for MOB performance group goes around the country was staying at the same hotel. Some of the group thinking about checking out the show. Most part people arrived decided check out the show welcome group dinner. Not really theater person in general but enjoy it if go to one. Diversity in life. Mesa Arts Center definitely really nice venue!! I love compare times done theater in Vegas on much bigger scale. Smaller but feel so much closer to the performers, and very much feel the vibe at the show. The place modern, clean, great sound system, and nice options drinks/food intermission or before show starts. The staff five stars everyone meet ushers, ticket booth, and people working the door. It located right on the Main Street in downtown Mesa. I feel in love with Mesa is everything food scene and culture all same road. Easy access comes to parking or rail system take to Mesa. If into theater in Mesa area check out performing cause changes all the time. Worth it!!! read more

Mesa Arts Center - The Moth MainStage - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Very accommodating and acoustical perfection. Enjoyed the kindness of the ushers and the comfort of the seats. Easy to park w a little walk

I attend and enjoy the Fall Arts Season Kickoff event almost every year and went to the Alt Fest this past weekend. Mesa Arts Center does a great job of creating family-friendly, free, creative events for the community. M.A.C. is celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year. I credit it with being one of the bigger reasons Mesa has a growing downtown nightlife area and why ASU built their film school nearby. As a photographer, I appreciate that it is an architecturally interesting facility with great places to take posed photos. read more

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OUTSTANDING venue. Just returned from a phenomenal show, featuring the great virtuoso, Itzhak Perlman at the Ikeda Theater (in the Mesa Arts Center). Excellent acoustics, comfy seats with a lot of legroom. Mesa Arts Center has several auditoriums. read more

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Housed in the massive and impressive postmodern 210k square foot complex, the free to visit Mesa Arts Center is home to a humongous exhibit space, five art galleries and a fascinating array of multi-use areas as well as quite a few studio classrooms. These studios where the Arizona Clay Association who welcome students, hobbyists, professionals or even the community to be involved in educational meetings, ceramics training - a fascinating endeavor around since 1967! But that's not all, we went for an incredible showing of 'American Glass Now: 2025', an exhibition of some incredible ceramic and glass artists. Unique art works, styles, philosophies' and types. A really amazing show (see my pics). Many are beyond words to describe and must be seen to appreciate. The Mesa Contemporary Art Museum is one of those venues in the Valley we frequent often for their unique, beautiful and exquisite presentations... kudos to the staff and volunteers for doing a marvelous job. We never tire of visiting you guys and being constantly amazed and educated. read more

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Love coming here but for this particular visit was for my daughter's graduation. I've never been inside the auditorium part and it was a lot bigger than I imagined. It was spacious and the staff and security were very kind. No complaints here. read more

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Enjoyed a fabulous performance last night. It's a perfect venue. Lighting, sound and seating are perfect. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Musical play performance - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Been here a couple of times to watch some amazing performances, coincidentally all of them had been in the Ikeda theater. Parking is easy to find and navigate through for this venue. However, the parking garage was slightly confusing on our last visit because it had said it was closed at the time of our arrival, but we had VIP tickets to an event that told us to arrive about 3 hours ahead of show time, so we got slightly lost on where to park instead. Every time I'd been here, getting through security and checking in has always been seamless. No issues whatsoever. Lines are also not so bad here regarding the merch stand, concession stand and the restrooms. Additionally, staff have been very friendly and great at directing everyone in a respectful and timely manner. Now for Ikeda theater specifically: The theater itself feels very welcoming with neutral wood tones and warm lighting. The inside of the theater is quite spacious, with an ample amount of seating. Haven't had a bad view or seat yet so far. The seats themselves are comfortable enough and seem to be well maintained. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Easy parking in lot next to theatre, clean venue. Staff on hand to direct one to proper door for the show or restrooms. Comfy seats. Had a positive experience. read more

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Came to Ikeda Theatre Great venue Many seating options - three levels Significant leg room Attentive staff Many refreshments Close parking read more

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Nice venue at Mesa Arts Center. Second concert I have seen here. Tonight it was Diana Krall, and an excellent concert. The parking here is relatively easy and lots of restaurants in downtown Mesa. The acoustics are excellent, the staff are helpful and the seating was comfortable. Had seats toward the back of the first level, Section V, several rows behind the control booth. There are several balconies above the main level. Concert was sold out. Great vocals and an excellent band. Her vocals has been described as "contralto" or a lower range. She has been performing since 1993 and excellent on the piano. read more

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Went here for a theatre show event and was seated in the balcony. Overall nice experience with an easily accessible lobby and auditoriums. Nearby restrooms and plenty of parking outside. My only complaint is the food options here. Just packaged chips and snacks available and no hot food. No draft beers as well. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I always have such great experiences at the Mesa Arts Center. I have been to body building events, concerts like Mateo Bochelli and holiday shows like The Nutcracker. All were fabulous. The volunteers are always very capable and friendly. read more

I visited the Mesa arts for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra tour. The description of the event was as below: Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra embark on a North American tour -- the Orchestra's 63rd international tour -- and additional U.S. appearances in 2023 as part of its 2022/23 Season. The program includes the following musical pieces: Beethoven - Coriolan Overture Beethoven - Symphony No. 8 Liadov - The Enchanted Lake Mussorgsky (Orch. Ravel) - Pictures from an Exhibition They had parking across the street at what I thought was a church for about ten dollars. They also had parking at the venue but it was super crowded. They had quite a few restrooms in the building which was nice. Much better than Gammage. You can enter the building without showing your ticket. At the entrance of the theater past the lobby is where we showed our tickets. There were lots of ushers showing people to their seats and greeting people. The chairs were comfortable. There were wire drink holders attached to the seat in front of you where you could put your drink. They were also conservative on the programs asking people and groups to share. This helps with sustainability. There were lots of stands with disposable face masks and hand sanitizer pumps in the lobby which was nice. They also had a couple of concession areas. One was a drink bar out in the lobby. The other was a food concession stand connected to the building itself. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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Mesa Arts Center is a wonderful venue for a large variety of arts and entertainment. we love going there. It is right off light rail at Center and Main which makes it super convent. Went to Christmas Catechism today and was the first event in years that we were extremely disappointed in. Was not worth our time or money. read more

We went here for our family outing to start spring break with the kids! We found out they were having the Adam's Family musical/play! I called an hour before the show started in hopes there was still seats available!! and the women explains to me there was still a free seats, she was so helpful with deciding what seats to get and she was so awesome with explaining everything , like she was gonna send an email with the tickets or we can pick him up at Roll Call! And the other shows we may enjoy in the future!! The Adam's family was great! They have a wonderful cast, so interactive and just a fun show to watch! We are going to be going to more shows now that we know what to expect!! Super fun, worth the money and a must try if your looking for a fun day or evening out! read more

Mesa Arts Center - Got there early, we sat in the box seats towards the back! Great view of the whole stage!! - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

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I've been here twice now and enjoyed both experiences. Once for Penn & Teller, the other time it was Dear Evan Hansen. A large theater and even with these inexpensive tickets, I could see the show alright. A few parking lots relatively close by. Friendly staff. No complaints. read more

The Bad...and really disappointing.:$80/seat to look at the back of a guys head. On top of it, no arm rest. Just kind of a chair that belonged at a dinner table. The acoustics: For some reason, way too loud. My wife, who never complains (about concerts) said it just turned into loud noise. 5th time seeing Chris Botti; this was a first. The Good: I asked a gentleman that worked there if we could purchase a better seat. He instantly offered us a better (same priced) seat that was much better. Very grateful as we would have just left had he not been gracious enough to take care of the issue. read more

Mesa Arts Center - This needs to be disclosed. Paying $160 to look at the back of someone's head is something I can do without g the :40 minute trip. - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Wonderful venue! My husband and I had a date night last night and saw Diana Krall in concert! Great place to see a concert! Comfortable seats with plenty of room. Acoustics were on point and the interior design is gorgeous! Can't wait to see another show there! Oh yeah, nice wine selection too! Anyone who serves Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is OK with me! read more

Mesa Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I went there with my wife last night for the Rush tribute project. We arrived at 720 and searched for parking cow found the parking structure which was small and cramped. I drove around to try to find a handicapped spot and none to be found. Thee was ample parking on the second and top floors, but there was NO ELEVATOR!!!! My wife had limited mobility due to a series of recent surgeries and obviously the stairs were NOT AN OPTION. The parking attendant suggested leaving my wife,in a wheelchair and vulnerable, some where at ground level while I parked the car, this was not an option. To all future attendees to this handicapped unfriendly venue don't go! I am amazed that a building as large as this is not ADA COMPLIANT We left the venue and went how with unused tickets. A waste of over $120. Oh well live and never return. read more

We had a great time at the Mesa Arts Center celebrating our heritage and departed loved ones during their Dia De Los Muertos celebration. So many amazing vendors selling beautiful works of art, homemade crafts and jewelry etc... There were so many Food Trucks too and a wonderful turn out by the public! The Mesa Arts Center did a great job, we love going to their events and so many of them are free to enter. read more

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1/13/22 My review might not be fair, as this is not my preference of art. Quality/Quantity - Please see the artists and judge for yourself. They rotate various art exhibits. Atmosphere - Street paid parking. Beautiful space and building. Even bought from the gift store, An Artists Co Op, which was next door. We walked by the Ikeda Theater, Repertory Theater, Studio Theater, Playhouse, gardens, Amphitheater, etc... See picture of the directory. Clean bathrooms. Service - Good, self service after being greeted Price - Free Owner Suggestion - Thanks for the free museum, it encourages people to be more artistic and appreciate contemporary art. Cut and pasted from their website: "Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is a visual arts exhibition space committed to the presentation, interpretation, collection, documentation and preservation of contemporary visual arts with a special focus on traditional media. Dedicated to presenting exceptional regional, national and international exhibitions, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum provides support and advancement to artists world-wide through solo, group and juried exhibitions while promoting educational opportunities within our community." read more

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A very small but enjoyable, modern art museum. There are four large rooms on one story only so it is not the largest museum, but the cost of entry is free and parking is easy and plentiful so it makes visiting quite easy. Mesa is not the prettiest part of Arizona but it's not that far from some of the other larger cities like Scottsdale or Phoenix. I wish they had a more diverse selection of artists and more information on the artists themselves but overall it was an enjoyable visit, albeit a quick one due to the size. read more

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To the usher who shut down our filming of my son's valedictorian speech at our private graduation event tonight, thank you. My bad when the iPhone light came on. You have solidified my determination to live another 25 years to try this again with my hoped for grandchild. So sorry, I won't make the same mistake again. read more