11/04/12 HUGE Asian festival going on! Brought my aunt with me to check out the "Fire & Sand: Contemporary American Glass" exhibit today, but we were surprised to find an Asian festival going on. (From what I gathered, these Asian showcases of jewelry and crafts are fairly common here.) My aunt was very happy, as she loves to shop and haggle, and haggling is the norm in Manila (as it is in Asian cities), so she was in her element here! I, on the other hand, was bored to tears. Instead, I went off on a stroll while aunt shopped around; I eventually found some food trucks, and wouldn't you know that "Hey Joe" food truck was in the area. We just ate a huge breakfast beforehand, so that was a bust. I did find a Maui Shave Ice food truck, but that's another review for me to write... We eventually did check out the free glass exhibit, and it was very much worth the drive to Mesa from North Scottsdale! I hope you enjoy the contraband photos I took and uploaded. I hope to return soon and check out a few live shows. read more

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This theatre is a mini, modern looking Metropolitan Opera house. I'm pretty sure it was designed with the same shape and space in mind, but with less tiers and no swarovski crystal chandeliers. I came here last night for the death cab for cutie concert and had a great time! Everything about the experience was easy and pleasant. Parking: there is a garage behind the building that is $5 per event. It is large and easy to maneuver. Willcall: fast and simple. Give them your name and ID and receive a ticket, pretty standard. Located to the left of the entrance and beyond the concession counters. Performance space: comfortable and spacious! The ushers are very friendly and efficient when guiding you to your seat. The rows themselves are so wide, you don't have to move much when someone is walking by you to their seat. Unless you or them are really big I suppose... The performance itself: varied and interesting light design. The sound could have been at bit louder for my taste, but it did make for easy conversation if you chose to talk during the music. The building itself is beautifully designed, and as others have mentioned, the water feature outside is very nice, with tables and chairs surrounding it for extra lingering and relaxing in nice weather. For concessions, we ordered two beers and a double captain and coke. This came to $22, not cheap, but not breaking the bank either. I would definitely return for more concerts! read more

Mesa Arts Center - Death cab for cutie with magik*magik orchestra! - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

such a fun and free experience! would definitely recommend checking it out. The air-conditioning is Hella strong! Perfect for a hot summer day read more

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When looking for a weekend welding class a couple of years ago, I discovered the Mesa Arts Center. If you're looking for any sort of art classes in the evenings or on the weekends, Mesa probably has you covered. Most of my review will be about the Welding Workshops (with Matt Smith as the instructor). First of all, Matt is terrific. He's an artist/sculptor and has a Masters in Fine Arts. In addition to welding (OxyAcetylene, MIG, and a bit of TIG processes), he is great at teaching metal shaping/bending/etc. I'll come back to this in a minute. Let's talk about the shop - fully loaded! 4 MIG welders, 2 gas setups, a TIG welder, a plasma cutter, plus a full size stomp shear, brake press, slip roll, bar benders, english wheel, anvils, swage blocks, vises, hammers, etc. etc. Matt introduces the welding processes, and coaches everyone through them, then adds plasma cutting, then gets you started on some cool art projects that will teach you how to use most of the basic metal shaping machines and tools. After you've got the basics down, dream something up - Matt will help you figure out how to make it (better, and easier, too!) They also have blacksmithing classes (hey smiths, sweep up after class, would you?), jewelry making, glass blowing, photography, etc. And, you can see any number of shows/music acts and the like at the theater. (and ignore the people whining about paying for parking, and having to park on the street when they showed up 20 minutes before show time - get there early, enjoy the grounds - (very pretty - lots of folks come to take photos for proms, engagement shots, etc.) - and everybody charges for parking - quit whining! Mesa Arts Center is a cool place to expand your horizons - check it out! read more

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It was my first time came here for Cypher Ritmo, Afro Cuban-Brazilian music free outside the center, it was PURE FUN! Love the center itself, beautiful building with multiple theaters. Met couple people who work there during the dance competition show, Dick and the other lady we chat for about 15 minutes, they were super nice people. Very nice mini gallery next to the center runs by local co-op artists and displays very nice art and crafts with reasonable price. I would love to comeback here during the day, so I can check out the art studio and more. read more

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The shows are good, but the venue management is terrible. Toilets locked 20 minutes before the show, long lines for bar in which you can't get a drink in the interval and not easy to navigate. Terrible operations and mediocre shows make for a bad experience. read more

We've gone to MAC now twice. First time for the Alton Brown show in October, and then just this past Friday for the Mythbusters tour. When we went to the AB show, J had originally purchased tickets up in the balcony. We quickly discovered that there was not enough leg room for him and the House Manager moved us to an unsold section in the balcony. Seriously awesome! For the Mythbusters tour, we purposefully purchased tickets in this typically unsold section, because the seats were just that awesome. We'll make sure to buy those seats every time we see a show at MAC. The parking situation is alright, I suppose. $5 to park in their lot. BUT, you get a slip for $5 off at participating business (I'm guessing in the area), so you kinda get your money back..as long as you go to one of those businesses. I think next time I'll try to score street parking like I did for the AB show (that was a Sunday show, and y'all now downtown Mesa on Sunday evenings). It was drizzly out Friday, so we wanted to park close. But apparently, at least according to the reviews, parking is sometimes free. It just depends on the act that night. Given the choice to see a show at MAC or Dodge - I'd pick MAC any day. read more

The best free museum out there. All the artifacts are interesting. I wish the area is bigger and more artifacts. This place is fantastic. My friend and I spent nearly 2 hours on the three exhibits. read more

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Horrible seating very very disappointed at the show for The Who's line is it anyway and very very disappointed since I'll show you the attachment photo of my view of the stage and what I can see the ikeda theater has horrible balcony seating. Stay away from seats 3,4 balcony 11. read more

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

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This was my second time seeing a concert here (saw the Ricky Nelson Remembered show here 2 years ago & this time, it was for The Monkees), and both times I have been very impressed. The venue is absolutely gorgeous and not a bad seat in the house! The sound quality is incredible as well and parking is easily accessible in the garage adjacent to the property. Sometimes the parking is free and other times it's $5, depending what act is playing. The outside grounds are beautifully maintained and look great. Cameras are sometimes allowed in depending who the act is and their stance on photography during their shows. This is a really nice, intimate setting for a concert or performance and if you haven't been here yet, I recommend taking in a concert or theatrical performance here. read more

This is a very nice venue. I think there are no bad seats in the house and the acoustics are really good. I have seen a number of productions here and it is always a great night out. My only complaint is that it is brand spanking new. I am old school and love venues with a history and some fabulous old architectural interests. Think Palau de Musica in Barcelona... read more

http://www.mesaartscenter.com/index.php/visit/getting-here Just a reminder to all guests with mobility concerns that the Sirrine Street Garage does not have an elevator - only stairs. Plan accordingly and be early to take advantage of Mesa Arts Center parking lot spaces. read more

My wife and I enjoyed it a lot. Unique creations. Good variety. Clean and quiet. Spacious. Not too big. Take the elevator down to the galleries. Free admission. Highly recommended to check out if you are in downtown Mesa. :) read more

How could the MAC receive ratings below 5 stars? It's amazing, has so much for anyone to do to sharpen and practice their artistry (from classes about glassblowing to metalworking to painting to ceramics to photography), cool events, a legit museum and gallery, and among the best venues to listen to music, watch performances, hear authors and comedians, and immerse yourself in culture in the entire Valley. Right smack dab in downtown Mesa. Who'd have thunk? read more

We have been to Mesa Arts Center several times, we have see Chrissie Hynde (amazing!) and Todd Rundgren (unbelievable!) , to name a few shows we have seen here. Really nice theater. Parking cost like $5, but we normally park on the street for free, short walk. We really enjoy coming to this venue for some shows, we travel from North Phoenix. We will be back! read more

Family fun and love the pottery classes!! They have lots of events going on throughout the year.

Great venue enjoyed the evening I would recommend it if you have not been there. Acoustics are great

Came here from North Phoenix to see Cirque de Symphonie with friends. It's a bit of a drive for me but it was well worth it! There were multiple events happening this evening but they kept traffic flowing and were great at directing you which theater to go to. Their ticketing machine went down so they weren't able to print off our will call tickets so we missed the first 10 mins which was a bummer but not their fault and they worked quickly to fix issue. Performance was fantastic and hugely entertaining. Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. My only issue was that we were in the 2nd tier all the way to the left and that seat you couldn't see the stage without sitting on the edge of your seat (which isn't very comfortable for long, or boring, shows). The inside and outside of Mesa Arts Center are very well maintained and modern. I'm not sure if it was normal but there seemed to be a very high police presence here, which made us feel both safer and less safe at the same time. MSC has many different shows/events/classes through out the year that I hope to take advantage of in the future. Will definitely be back! read more

Never will go there again I've been there 3 xs but never again! I sick n tired of the Mesa Mormons that I will never go again! It's not that they are Mormons, but I think they r the Jack Mormons!!! The entertainers wanted interaction so I gave it to them n the other ppl around for the 2nd time I've been there complain about me standing up! As all who know me I always support ppl w disabilities or cancer especially, but I will never be put in that place again of disrespect! I help anyone I can always!!! I was just trying to enjoy the show n let the performers know I repeated them n I wanted to help them get the audience involved, but got in trouble instead!! Doesn't make sense when u r supporting the actors! I could be family to those actors; who knows!!!!! Nobody!!! Exactly!! Thank you n please remember this when your family is acting/performing!!! read more

I've been here twice, for Sufjan Stevens and the EVMCO Christmas Concert. I was impressed both times. This is a beautiful venue, like a smaller and nicer Gammage. It is still large enough to be epic, and the acoustics are stellar. Parking in the area isn't awful, though finding your entry door can be a bit stressful. Still, this is one of my favorite big venues in the valley, and a big reason why Downtown Mesa is a thing now. read more

Just finished watch the Manneheim Steamroller Christmas Show here and it was a surprise gift from my better half. Sound system was amazing, better than the ASU Gammage Theatre. Very entertaining group. read more

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

Intimate sized venue I've been to just once for a Shakespeare show, but I liked it. Easy in and out parking, relaxed atmosphere, ample bathroom stalls (the men's room has private locking urinal stalls, whoa!) and friendly staff and ushers. Easy to find seating and good and comfy. read more

This past Friday was my first time at this venue. It did not dissapoint! I was lucky enough to win tickets and sit on stage while John Lengend performed. From my view it was toug to focus on anything around me other than the performance, but it didnt look like there was a bad seat in the house. The acoustics in this place are incredible! Looked like the onky place that might have a tough time seeing was the upper balcony....its pretty high up there. Parking was quick and easy to find. Pretty small part of phx so that was a pleasant surprise. The box office for tickets was a challenge to find and there werent any helpful signs. So if youbuy in advance go a little early so you can find your way through the maze. The positive side of that was the grounds were REALLY pretty. There were bands playing outside and everything was very green and clean. Overall, it was a great experience and if i have the opportunity i will be back. :-) read more

Mesa Arts Center - First time at this venue. Had the opportunity to sit on stage behind the legend, John Legend while he performed! - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I love the Mesa Arts Center. The concert halls and displays that come through are always great. Plus the facility itself is really top notch and very well updated. Hopefully downtown will continue to revive a bit and match the quality of the Arts Center as the city continues to help develop a healthy and thriving downtown. read more

The venue is nice but the management is awful. My family and I had tickets to the Andy Grammer concert and they somehow triple sold our seats. We bought our tickets through their website and the ticket office manager tried to tell us we didn't. Then we missed the entire opening act because they couldn't problem solve and figure out how to handle the situation. They just kept saying they couldn't understand how it happened. Finally, they found seats for everyone but it was such a mess and handled very poorly. read more

Sad to say the walkways and first floor are not handicap friendly. It was very difficult to maneuver a walker and the ushers were not helpful. read more

It is a small but intimate theatre allowing a great view of the stage from any seat. Just saw Chicago which was well done. Choreography was great! Great cast! Cast was present after the show which was nice as the bigger theatres don't always allow that. read more

This is a beautiful place to visit and take in the free art museum, the ambiance and architecture. They have several nooks where you can sit and enjoy the flowing water and get in touch with your chi. You'll also see photographers taking group and family photos. There is a theater which brings international, national, and comedic acts. There is a gift show and offer various art classes. Just a quick tip: there are restaurants, coffee shops and other shops within walking distance. They have private and street parking as well as the light rail right across the street. read more

My special needs son turned 40 and i splurged and bought him front row tickets for $614.20 for a concert and meet and greet to see Ann Wilson at Mesa Arts Center October 3. We got a swag bag with some fun stuff. He was so excited. I was excited for him to get his picture with Ann for his wall. Half way thru the show, the bass guitarist collapsed and the show was canceled. I requested half of my money back since I only saw half a show and no meet and greet. The venues solution was to offer me tickets to other shows coming up which none of them had interest for me. I said the fair thing to do would be to offer me half of my money back. They only agreed to $64 for one ticket without meet and greet yet if the show was totally canceled, I would expect a full refund and I only requested half. So pretty disappointing since I drove across town and I'm not wanting to accommodate what they wanted to do, I only got $64 from a $614.20 purchase. Just so you are aware for anything you book that may have issues. Super disappointed since it was such a special event for a special birthday. read more

On 6/15/2019 at approximately 8:10pm a fire alarm was sounded during the middle of my sisters dance recital. First of all the alarm was not loud at all if anything it sounded like part of the music, the lights where near off, and the usher an older gentleman decided to run into the theater and yell , " this is an emergency, get out now!!!) which made everyone in the theater stampede through the doors sporadically. The man him self despite being staff bolted out the door. The other two female ushers I suppose thought they were helping by standing in the doorway making it narrow and more difficult to get out. I'd also like to point out that there are close to no lights on any of the stairs in the theater. Once I was outside waiting for the clearance I approached the manager to respectively notify her of how unprofessional her employees acted and that it could have been handled better ( do to my back round with public safety). The manager told me her staff did nothing wrong and that they where proud of how the situation went down. She then went on to praise her staff and instead of listening to someone who is honestly and truly worried and concerned for the safety of the people she decided to talk about her back round in nursing and that she's been doing this a long time. With that I thanked her (even though she barely listened to what I had to say) and left only to later be approached by a young woman who was the house manager who wanted to tell me that she completely understands why I approached the manager and she to agreed with my comments. She also reassured me that they will go over this incident in their next meeting. She was very nice and respectful and understanding and I felt good knowing that she was there. Unfortunately I did not get her name. I'd also like to point out that an uncle of mine who has served 21 years and is a high ranking officer on the police force was also at the recital who stayed back in the building to check on the girls who were dancing pointed out that how Mesa arts center handled that situation was highly unprofessional and inappropriate. Later on I found out that one of the dancers dads was a firefighter who was also in the building at the time and he to agreed with how unprofessional the situation was handled. The day after the incident I learned that two of the parents in the crowd where doctors who worked with trauma patients. They two brought up that the incident was handled very poorly. They struck fear in to many families instead of staying calm and professional yet still being efficient they threw everyone into a frenzy. And once everyone was escorted out. No information was given out to a single person even though everyone's daughters were alone in the building. I would like to point out that I do highly respect the arts and am happy knowing that there are people like them who give there time to the maintenance and organization of this center so that we can go to places like this to enjoy the arts but a lot of training needs to be done, specifically on leadership and how to handle emergency's such as active shooters and fire drills before I ever go back to this place. -ENZO ( I apologize for the poor grammar ) read more

Visited the center for the Simply Three show in the Ikeda theater. You can easily agree that any seat is a good seat. Roomy but small enough to feel closer to the performers. Center is huge and many shows playing at the same time. Please for your sanity arrive early early early as garage parking is limited. I made the mistake if arriving timely but not early enough for parking. Alcohol us moderately priced San Tan beers !!! read more

Mesa Arts Center - Simply Three - close to sold out show - Performing Arts Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I have been a performer my whole life, singing in choirs and other music groups since I was a child. I have been to many venues for concerts but I have been so happy that my hometown built such a beautiful and spectacular place to house plays, musicals, concerts etc in downtown Mesa. If you haven't seen something there yet, go and enjoy the great architecture, design and acoustics of this wonderful arts center read more

My favorite theater in Phoenix! Relatively new, and part of an arts complex with multiple theaters classes and loads of events throughout the year. Theater has no bad seats and the events are super fun. Come by and spend some $$ in downtown Mesa. Also the Light Rail that goes here too. read more

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

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The first time I went to Mesa Arts Center was one of the first times I had been to Mesa in many years, and I was skeptical. As we drove down "Country Club" passing Beer World, The Pawn Man, and a check cashing business on every corner, I didn't expect much. But as we got to Main Street, things started looking up. And then we arrived....completely unexpectedly, this gorgeous modern building emerges. First off, this place is huge. With several art galleries and beautifully landscaped grounds, Mesa Arts Center hosts performances ranging from music, theater, and dance to comedy and National Geographic Live. We've since returned for the Nat Geo series several times and never cease to be impressed by the architecture, the acoustics, and the staff. On one visit, we had vouchers to exchange for "whatever is left" seats and were given seats so good, we try to request them now. And I love that the parking garage is steps away and only $5! read more

Everytime I think of Mesa Arts Center, I quote the famed Kevin Costner movie Field of Dreams "If you build it...they will come". Unfortunately, the dreamers of Mesa Arts Center imagined a thriving artsy downtown for Mesa...and the bastards still didn't come! I first came here for a movie screening/art show-and while parking is easy in Mesa, it was extremely confusing around the campus to figure out which buildings were which...and the creepy quiet of Mesa doesn't help. I finally went to the move screening in an extremely elegant theatre-then crossed the way to a stunning building that had stairs leading to a kind of sunken ampitheater/open space with more doors leading to gallery space. Really complex and kind of goregous-it does have a bit "too much" goin' on, but really-this is an incredible space with the unfortunate curse of having absolutely NOTHING going on around it to go to! With the advent of WindUp Gallery, S'Bistro, and other storefronts in Downtown Mesa slowly colouring in the lines of promised culture in Mesa, this could become a flagship of a kind of Field of Dreams...until then, plan to jump on the 60 and hit bars in Tempe. read more

We came to see Potted Potter on a Saturday night. It was my first time here and I can tell you I won't be back. First, we get to the parking garage at 7:10 for a 7:30 show and the parking lot is FULL! Not only that, but here charging for parking for an event I already paid for. And since they were full, they had us park on the street curb and STILL charged us!! The lady in charge was out of her mind and needed a Xanax. Then we look at concessions for a snack and it was the poorest selection of snacks. Chips, bottled water, twizzlers, and chocolate. Great for kids. Not for adults. Blech. Then we walk into the theater and the little old lady usher says "can I help you find your seat?" I say "no, I know where they're at". Then she proceeds to snatch my tickets from my hand and start walking towards our seats. So rude! I appreciate old people when they're nice, but jeez lady! Then she feels the need to read our seat numbers to us. Thanks, but I could've done that myself. I know they're usually volunteers and that's great and all, but there's no need for all of that. Theater is small, but clean, which is why they get 2 stars. Show hasn't even started yet and I'm already not impressed with this place. read more

I saw Joan Baez perform here and the following was my experience: I arrived late because of a BJJ competition and compounding my tardiness there was a protesting activist out front that ran up to me to hug and thank me for wearing an Iraq Veterans Against War member's shirt. We talked for a good amount of time but eventually I got into the venue. I had not bought a ticket because I was not sure if I would get out from the tournament fast enough to make it to the concert. They informed me it was sold out at the box office. My disappointment evident, they asked me why I had not purchased a ticket; I explained that I had driven from Las Vegas specifically to compete and for this show, but was not certain I could make it to the venue in time so held off on purchasing. They benevolently listened to my story and asked me to give them a minute. I told them that they could give me a seat anywhere and I would be happy. I might have mentioned that I would sit on someone's lap if necessary. In the end they gave (sold) me a ticket in a handicapable section of the balcony after checking their computer and some envelopes (which I would presume are unretrieved tickets of some sort) and I got to see the inside of the venue (it's a gem) and listen to what was remaining of an amazing concert. So .... * acoustics: CHECK * line of sight: CHECK * free parking (it was for me): CHECK * helpful, friendly staff: CHECK. Why can't we have a Mesa Arts Center in Las Vegas? - E read more

Always have interesting exhibits by different artists at the Contemporary Art Museum. It is fun to return every few months as the artists change. You never know what your art tastes may be unless you expose yourself to different venues. I think the exhibit by Esao Andrews is a must see (May to July 2019). read more

It's unfortunate this place is in Mesa because it's now one of my favorite venues in the valley. I've seen two shows here and the sound has been amazing both times. The staff are super friendly and helpful. Not too many venues where they actually escort you to your seat. Parking was $5, but it came with a $5 coupon to use at any Downton Mesa business. There's also plenty of nearby street parking if you'd rather take that route. Light rail is also within walking distance. They seem to host a wide variety of events here too. I've seen two concerts here, but the upcoming calendar also had book tours and comedy events. The only bummer is downtown Mesa shuts down pretty early, so there's not really anywhere to eat or grab a drink once the show is over. read more

It's free now! Free stuff = good. I've only been a handful of times but they seem to favor contemporary art (which is my preference). It's a great place to spend a hot Phoenix afternoon. Did I mention it's free? read more