Mesa Arts Center, Mesa Travel Guide

The Mesa Arts Center stands as a beacon of culture in the heart of downtown Mesa, Arizona. Completed in 2005 at a cost of $95 million, this 210,000-square-foot facility is the largest comprehensive arts campus in the state. The center's design, reflective of the Sonoran Desert landscape, incorporates outdoor gardens, sunken courtyards, and water features.The Mesa Arts Center is home to four performance venues: the 1,600-seat Ikeda Theater, the 550-seat Virginia G. Piper Repertory Theater, the 200-seat Nesbitt/Elliott Playhouse, and the intimate 99-seat Farnsworth Studio Theater. These venues host a wide variety of performances, including Broadway shows, concerts by national and international artists, and performances by local arts organizations. Resident companies include the East Valley Children's Theatre, Mesa Encore Theatre, Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Southwest Shakespeare Company, and Salt River Brass.The Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (MCA) is a free-to-visit museum with five galleries showcasing the works of contemporary artists. The MCA hosts rotating exhibitions that celebrate the diversity of the local, national, and international arts community. In addition to its performance and visual arts offerings, the Mesa Arts Center provides educational programs for people of all ages. The center has 14 visual and performing arts classroom studios and offers nearly 1,000 classes each year.The Mesa Arts Center also hosts four free community festivals each year. The center's location was strategically chosen to revitalize Mesa's downtown area.