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

See all

What a great venue .. located in downtown Mesa on Main .. plenty of parking.. in the lot or surrounding streets.. ushers at every door pointing the crowd in the right direction .. bars serve doubles on all drinks ($16 double Jack & Coke) Seats were roomy and plenty of leg room.. we saw Shen Yun.. orchestra was great, sound was awesome Lots of restaurants, bars and coffee shops in the area for before or after the show .. read more

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

See all

This had NOTHING to do with security but with poor conduct of staff. Original Post: I received a message from Mesa Arts Center instructing me to be there between 6 & 6:30 pm to exchange my tickets for a 7:30 pm performance of Chad Lawson. It is a 45 minute drive, so we altered our plans & left 2 hours early to be safe. It was all down hill from there. After being told they open at 6:30 pm, I'm then told I did not have to exchange anything. 6 different people later, I finally got a refund & will not return. I was made to feel at fault, judged by a group of workers & very uncomfortable. We could hardly wait to leave. No consideration, no respect. Your recent reply is out of line & off point. read more

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

My son and I went to see Shen Yun on Friday night, the Mesa Arts Center is absolutely beautiful. It was all lit up and very inviting. I would have appreciated knowing that most of the area parking is for a fee, however, I was able to find a free spot down the road. The staff was very friendly and amazing. All the ushers were smiling and excited to be there. I would advise taking the elevator to the upper floors and using the stairs to go down. We were seated in the balcony on the 4th floor, and I couldn't have chosen better seats if I tried, we had a wonderful view of the stage and orchestra. The sound was very clear, and the lights were perfect. Shen Yun was absolutely amazing and magical! I highly recommend seeing the show when it comes back to town. read more

Great place for concerts and shows. Was a little warm in the balcony during our last visit to see Phil Rosenthal but manageable. Exiting the parking structure wasn't the best experience since we were on the Roof. read more

Love MAC!! Acoustics are good enough for me and there isnt a bad seat in the house! We always enjoy any event we go to here and visit several times a year. There has been a recent security upgrade so there are walk through detectors, bag checks, and a clear bag policy. read more

Thank you Mesa Arts for approaching us twice to let us know if our son with Autism needed a blanket, headphones or anything else!!! Two people approached us seeing my son. Thank you for seeing us and letting us know we are welcome and invited to stay. It's good to be seen. read more

I've seen many shows in the Ikeda Theater at the Mesa Arts Center. Great productions, and I've always had a great seat. I do appreciate that they still give physical programs at their shows. I have not taken advantage of any refreshments they offer. The restrooms are clean. There are many parking options and places to eat nearby. I prefer to see a show here over downtown Phoenix. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Simply Three Christmas Show - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

My in-laws surprised us with tickets to see baby shark live at the Mesa arts Center just recently. My one-year-old is obsessed with baby shark and we were also excited when we found out there was an actual show based on this. I had never been here before as I am new to the Phoenix area. What I will say, is that it's a beautiful, clean, and new looking venue. There are several different stages so when you walk in the main entrance, you might still need to walk by a few stages before you find your show. There are ushers around to help. One negative thing is it looked like for a decent size venue, they definitely don't have enough parking available. We ended up parking at a church across the street. My mother-in-law said she tried to purchase parking ahead of time so we didn't have to worry on the day, but that it was unavailable. There are a few different parking lots both covered and not covered, but they were completely full when we got there. Keep that in mind upon arrival. You might wanna go there earlier for that reason. I made the joke because it was a 2 o'clock in the afternoon show, are there any drinks? It was funny because there actually was a full bar. Also they had overpriced merchandise, and snack items available. I don't know how many seats there were but it was much larger than I expected. The show itself was great and the venue was about halfway full. This is a pretty quick Drive for us, so I will be looking at future events moving forward. I did pick up a pamphlet that advertised all the upcoming performances to keep on our radar. read more

See all

We had tickets to a show and I had a wheelchair. The parking garage had NO handicap parking plus there was no elevator, making it non-ADA compliant. When we asked the parking attendant what to do she said for my husband to drop me off somewhere, park and then take me in. The Center is not in the safest area so we didn't choose that option and left very disappointed . We will never attend an event there ever again! read more

Did you know Mesa is the third largest city in Arizona and the 38th largest in the country? ...Well, did ya, punk? I have to admit I didn't even know Mesa was even a separate community from Phoenix until I drove about 45 minutes from my hotel to get here. The performing arts theater is the main draw, but I heard the museum was something to do for free, and I'm all for free in an evolving on-demand economy where demands can change on a dime. There's a lot of Southwestern-style sprawl out here, and the center is an oasis of modern artistic expression in an otherwise suburban desert. The architectural touches are nice, especially the streaming fountains and waterways (photo: http://bit.ly/2IQiRJA) and the way the cacti and trees are integrated into the design (photo: http://bit.ly/2pErRZh). The subterranean museum itself was quite modest with just three small galleries open the evening I was there. The focus appeared to be on local artists who created quite a bit of glass art (photo: http://bit.ly/2ufEhN5). As you can see, there's a fine line between art and a Pottery Barn catalog, but the courtyard was a fine social space dominated by a spray-painted mural, El Mac's "Desert Rose" (photo: http://bit.ly/2I3OTAx). Take a look. read more

See all

The Mesa Arts Center itself was fine. No problem with parking or seating. The Shen Yun show is over hyped IMHOP. Yes, the costumes are colorful and there are a lot of costume changes. However, the dance numbers are, by and large, the same over and over even though the costuming changes. read more

Took the wife out for a Shen Yun evening. The Mesa Arts Center is a great venue. The show itself was amazing, however this review is for the Mesa Arts Center. Plenty of restroom, easy seating with more then enough leg room. Prices are very reasonable for the drinks and snacks. Everyone there were very helpful, and more then willing to answer all of our questions. Parking is right next door, and very easy to get in and out of. What more can I say? It's just a great place. read more

Strangely enough for the years i have lived here and my work in the arts I had never been here before. I finally went this week. Despite the fact that I am already left with a sour taste in my mouth due to two well known artists cancelling shows because of their refusal to honor SAG and Actors Equity Safety rules for performers ( the only ones on a long list of venues across the world, by the way )I was just not impressed with the place. While the venue inside the stage area is pretty the sound was just terrible for our show and we had very good seats for our event so this is perplexing. The lobby is so strange the way it is constructed. It is like a tiny narrow half circle. The path ways are to narrow so people bump into each other. I literally knocked down people trying to get to the bathroom. The will call window is so odd the way it is placed. It is like built into a side corner so it is like a tiny closet. The line cannot hold many people before they hit a wall. It makes no sense. What is it about lack of bathrooms in entertainment venues? Who builds these places and what are they thinking? Do they think that no one ever has to go to the bathroom? There was only one bathroom on the first floor that I could find. If there was another one no one could tell me where since no staff were anywhere to be found. Venues one third the size have more bathrooms. There were at least 50 people on line for the bathroom after the show. The vendor table was not accessible to buy anything due to the disorganization and the people mingling and refusing to form a line. These people were blocking the walkway to get to the bathroom. It needs to be more organized. It is not hard to use traffic flow rope routers. As fas as our seats go they were fine. We had handicap seats so had regular chairs and extra room. The ushers were very nice but they are volunteers and not employed by the place. No staff in lobby at all that we could see. The lighting is pretty. I am not sure if it was geared toward the theme of the performer or if it is always that pretty hue. I gave two stars because it is pretty inside the theater. Parking was confusing and expensive. The staff did not say to ignore the fact that every spot had a no parking, reserved sign on it which I assume we needed to ignore for the night. My driver was not sure and mentioned they do not always charge for parking there. This is moralistically wrong in my opinion. Staff should point out the lot rules too upon entrance when they take the money. A nice, "You can park anywhere despite the signs." would have been helpful. We witnessed two "road ragey" type incidents of behaviors before we even parked and got out of our car. Meh, I am not sure I would go back here. Maybe if some huge performer that I loved was there, perhaps. However, I still might wait or go to another city to see him or her. There are so many more great theaters around. Since shows are so costly these days I do not want to waste my money on aggravation and stress at an entertainment venue. read more

The website is terrible for purchasing tickets. Getting so frustrated that I'm just not even going to purchase tickets.

A few years back, I was attending the Ludovico Einaudi concert. Please bring him back to Arizona!

Such a wonderful Halloween. Quiet not crowded and also an amazing showcase! I hope next year there is something like this or another theme I really loved it and my kids did as well. It was such a fun scavenger hunt and it was absolutely free!!!!!! My kids didn't mind all of the walking. So much to see and it's interactive. read more

See all

Amazing, a very special place, I am honored to live in Mesa and have this format / music/talent/classes available. Thank you read more

Parking at this place is quite convenient, and there are numerous restaurants in downtown Mesa. The venue has superb acoustics, the staff are cooperative, and the seating is comfortable. read more

We went to see Alton Brown here and did the VIP experience. Over all it was a great facility and things were well organized. We were a bit disappointed that they had no real COVID protocols in place. No mask mandates or vaccination checks. We're wore our masks as did a handful of others. Parking was free and easy. read more

My family has a curious history with the Mesa Arts Center. My dad had a small business that he was forced out of by eminent domain. It was slated to be demolished and turned into this arts center. It took quite a bit of fighting tooth and nail with litigation to actually get a decent amount of compensation for his business, his sole means of supporting the family. That being said I can't fault the arts center for being what it is, but whenever I'm here I get a weird feeling of deja vu for a location that used to be his business, but has a totally different air and purpose now. The actual concept is excellent. They host several events throughout the year and have art exhibitions, shows, and classes you can take. The theaters the shows are in are nice with comfy seats and I generally haven't had too much of a problem being able to see the stage. I went to a Mythbusters show here a few years ago and the Alton Brown show I went to recently was awesome. It's great they can have such educational and entertaining guests performing here and I definitely keep an eye out for any future shows they are offering. read more

Mesa Arts Center - View from row B orchestra, right of center. - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

My girlfriend and I were traveling in AZ, and were only passing through when we stumbled upon this place. I've gotta say this is a must visit. Loved it and glad we made the stop! read more

See all

Very nice venue with various performance spaces, art classes and museum/gift shop.. I go there several times a year to see National Geographic series and performance artists read more

Well I got yelled at by one of the staff today for parking in their parking spot. She almost crashed into me and she could've easily communicated nicely but I think that there should be some psych evaluations done with the lady with bad highlights "delivering props". I have never met a more entitled person at the Mesa Arts Center. read more

It's Friday evening and here we are at the Mesa Arts Center. On tonight's venue is Stanley Clark Power Trio, a very talented jazz bass musician, with two other talented musicians to accompany him. This was my first time here at the Center for a concert event. When you walk into this place there is this huge lobby area. I didn't pay attention on how many theaters they have here. There were a lot of people in this place as there are other events being held, and everyone was waiting to be let into their specific theater. Each theater has balcony seating as well, so there is ample seating. In our case our friend was able to obtain the tickets for our event months in advance. I tell you this because our seating was located in the orchestra pit area, which has three rows of seats where you are seated very close to the stage. The seats are actually very comfortable. Now about the artist we came here to listen to. Stanley Clark' is a living legend in his own right. On tonight's performance he opened up on the electric bass guitar. By the way, Stanley was well known in his early years as performing on the stand up acoustic bass. He is probably the first bassist to double up on both instruments. Just watching the movement of his fingers strumming on the bass was magical. He was accompanied by Cameron Graves in Keyboards, and Sadar Nadar, on what are called Tablas or Tumblers. Tablas or Tumblers are a percussion instrument similar to hand drums that make a different sound depending on where the hands strike the Tablas, and always two. Nadar's hands and fingers made an incredible sound. All three musicians during their performance feed off each other in ways the gentleness off the music draws you to them. Stanley Clark at one point, explained that certain songs or music that one plays makes it special. In this one special moment, Stanley performed this one beautiful song, which he wrote, and named it "Concion de Sofia". Stanley not only uses his fingers to play the stand up bass but, uses the bow to make a more beautiful sound. It was so beautifully played, that at the end of the song I immediately stood up and applauded, as did many who were in attendance. Stanley Clark to me is a musicians, musician. It was very rare indeed to have has the opportunity to have witnessed such a remarkable performance by this artist. He has another performance on Saturday, hope you get to listen in as I did. It always amazes me how music can bring people from all walks of life together for an evening of be brilliant music. read more

Mesa knows how to art! Not only is this campus an experience for all of your senses, there's always an event/show/performance/class/or some activity to enjoy~ It's such a serene area to stroll around and enjoy. #andnowahaiku Mesa Arts Center Ignites creativity So let your light shine! read more

Mesa Arts Center - Signing up for classes thanks to the #ArtsInService program from the Boeing Co! - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

See all

MESA ARTS CENTER This place is even lovelier at nite! - ample parking - love the twinkle lights - loads of classes are offered - good seats ^_^ - shows... cool shows are offered We saw the premiere of SLEEPING BEAUTY and the COMPUTER GEEK. A production by East Valley Children's Theatre (EVCT). The production was rather cool! - kids displayed and performed quite well. - some were nervous, but their enthusiasm and passion were evident If you're a lover of the arts, and have kiddies ... Come out and support these inspiring kids! :) read more

Saw the Salt River Brass Band Jazz concert yesterday!! Cannot say enough superlatives!! It was a fun, wonderful, entertaining and delightful afternoon!! SRB is FABULOUS!! Mesa Arts Center is a great venue!! read more

Had an amazing night last night having the privilege of seeing David Byrne (Talking Heads) in his utopia tour. The sound in this place is always well produced and mixed but last night I admit it was a bit muddy. Regardless, the MAC is just the perfect venue. It's well directed (people everywhere helping you) and well serviced. It's clean, beautiful, artistic, and well designed. The parking - cake and cheap. The bar and drinks are high-end, well poured, and you can bring them into the theatre. The inside theatre itself is stunning and I caught myself just looking up and around at times. Bathrooms are spotless and never crowded. A place like this can anchor a whole community and you can already see the impact in the stores and shops around it. It feels safe, clean, and classy. I can't imagine the cost of a place like this nor how it was funded - I probably don't want to know. I will say that regardless the cost, it is spectacular and a perfect place to see a show. read more

Mesa Arts Center - Love this place - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I have found the Mesa Arts Center to be world class. The programs they bring in are diverse while also meeting the artistic desires of its customers. I have found both the paid and volunteer staff to be of the utmost of professionals no matter what the programming is. I find the arts center also plans wisely and does a good job of managing its programs throughout the years to be commensurate with the time of year and corresponding season. The have and host programs for all budgets and accommodate local programming as well with the equal professionalism they would of a world super-star-celebrity. Recently had the privilege to attend a "fireside chat" in the Ikeda Theater and found the venue to be pleasant for an intimate setting. I would argue the seats could use an expansion to accommodate our every-growing behinds but overall a lovely experience and I look forward to the next bit of programming offered. Encore! read more

An amazing complex dedicated to the arts! They have paid parking for events at $5 but there is free street parking everywhere. We parked a block away without any problem. The complex is big and I could have gotten lost because I'm directionally challenged but they had a lot of staff around to guide me to the correct hallway, elevator, hall, and seat. Everything was perfect including the temperature in the hall. An amazing complex! read more

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

See all

Love this museum in Mesa. It was free admission, great AC, and great exhibits: 1. Boundless - Books transformed in contemporary art 2. Fold, Paper, Scissors - Precisely cut paper "drawings" to mathematically mind-boggling folds to a single sheet of paper 3. Betsy Douglas - modern silver designs to computer circuit board jewelry read more

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

See all

I wouldn't have found this venue on my own, so shout out to my friends who let me know. I lucked out on finding the 98 Degrees Christmas tour happening just a week later. Wish I had peeps to go with me, but somehow I found tickets in the front orchestra section with a good view. Looked sold out to that point, and when Balcony was $40 and Orchestra was $60, the jump felt worth it. Venue's pretty small - making it a quarter of Gammage if I'm feeling generous. But the view is pretty great if you can land orchestra. I was maybe 15 feet away from the front 5 rows in, which was nuts. My biggest peeve for a sold-out show, half the row in front of us was empty. Scalpers ruin everything, but that's another story. Sound was great, and Will Call was a seamless experience. Two minor things annoyed me though. For a 7:00 show, we were told on our tickets seating at 6:30, but they didn't open the doors until 6:50. There didn't seem to be a real reason why they kept us off for so long, since the band had to set up anyways. Also the concert sound was great, but the vibe wasn't too uniform. There was a great section of people to my left standing up and singing along to the hits - but that made up maybe an eighth of orchestra total. I wish standing up didn't make me feel like a dick - somewhere like Talking Stick Arena or Gila River, everyone would feel the need. Overall, with a quarter of the size and a quarter of the price, you're definitely not sacrificing any of the experience as a viewer. If more acts I follow hit up Mesa Arts Center, I'll be among the first to sign up. read more

This is a beautiful mid size modern event venue. I came to town to see my cousin and he took me to a Weird Al concert here for my bday. The exterior of the building makes your eyes wonder from the flowing man made stream to the unique detail of the building it's self. Once in side all the staff are pleasant and smiling. Even the security staff, which sometimes can be quite intimidating, were smiling and even were handing out items related to our event that really would not normally fall under their job duties. We ordered a few drinks from the bar and the tender gave little bit more to the drink than he needed to. Also, they have lovely volunteers that would talk to us and even joke around with us. The whole evening at MAC was about as close to perfect as you can get. read more

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

See all

If you want a modern, warm and well-staffed live theater experience that is top of its class then this is it. I have never been to such a great and well-kept arts center in my life. Perhaps LA needs to pick up its game because this is what the Redondo Beach Arts Center used to be like, and what the Disney Concert Hall (on a smaller scale) could be. I found a number of things to work out: -The acoustics were perfect in that there was no echo, drowning, or bounce back of sound from any point in the place -The staff was forward thinking and helpful to solve problems, and not just direct. They were friendly with little bits of humor. They were happy to be there, and that made my experience even better. -The seats were the perfect size, ample in every way and not uncomfortable at all -The production was seamless and no issue was seen -The place was as clean as a whistle I got the honor of seeing legends OK GO on their live video tour, who were so much fun. They were able to go through the years of all their videos, their evolution, and rock out as a family band with kids on stage. The part I enjoyed the most was in their ability to speak to the audience with ease and play songs in between without any hesitation. It wasn't an act, and it was more like a fireside chat with OK GO and their closest 1600 friends. Another fun thing to consider is that this place has a number of classrooms and studios (4) an art center adjacent with truly creative exhibits, and is really a campus more than anything. It's a great place not only to see a show or check out exhibits, but really to spend some time exploring the best of Mesa. read more

Nothing good about Mesa Art Center. The parking is awful. I waste money and wasn't able to see the show. Never again. The parking too far from the building. Nearly impossible to wear heels. read more

Been coming here for years. Many shows here and never a disappointment. Great seats all around. Great prices. Great restaurants near by. I recommend coming here even if it's just to walk around. They have free outdoor shows often. I love my experience here. read more

Wonderful venue! The seating area is well planned out, smaller without feeling cramped, but allowing everyone to see well. We saw Taming of the Shrew and loved it! They even had a little many play outside prior to the event. I'm sure we will be back! read more

What a gem. Beautiful building. Beautiful complex. Have never ventured into Mesa, this was a great introduction. We had the opportunity to watch Tori Amos in the Ikeda Theater. Great acoustics. Grand stage. Will defiantly be back to see the art installations and other performances. read more

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

See all