Mesa Arts Center
Mesa Arts Center
4.5
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
About
The Mesa Arts Center mission is to inspire people through engaging arts experiences that are diverse, accessible, and relevant. Owned and operated by the City of Mesa, Arizona’s largest arts center is recognized as an international award-winning venue. The unique and architecturally stunning facility is home to four theaters, five art galleries, and 14 art studios and an artist cooperative gallery.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
542 reviews
Excellent
410
Very good
105
Average
15
Poor
3
Terrible
9
Jared P
2 contributions
Dec 2020
The Mesa Arts Center has the WORST online ordering system I have ever seen! It is slow, always. It crashes constantly. Whenever there is a big performance with a lot of interest, the system WILL GO DOWN. You won't be able to get the tickets you want because of the system itself. I don't know why they don't just use Ticket Master or some other ticket system. Instead, they have their own system that is clearly designed by a 12-year-old.
If you have to go to this venue, then you are stuck, but if you have any other option for seeing your concert, skip this place and go to the next possible performance venue so that you can actually get the seat you want. The ordering system is so bad, you can't even see what tickets you are ordering. It gives you a choice between tickets but doesn't show you even what section the tickets are in. Just price points. It looks like they haven't completed the coding on the website. That's how bad this system is.
Anytime I have to go to the Mesa Arts Center, I plan an hour and a half to go stand in line at the ticket office because their online system is worthless. I had to order online again this time because I was out of town when the tickets came online. It is as bad now as it has been for the past 8 years. I don't understand how a company can have such a poor ticket system. It boggles my mind.
If you have to go to this venue, then you are stuck, but if you have any other option for seeing your concert, skip this place and go to the next possible performance venue so that you can actually get the seat you want. The ordering system is so bad, you can't even see what tickets you are ordering. It gives you a choice between tickets but doesn't show you even what section the tickets are in. Just price points. It looks like they haven't completed the coding on the website. That's how bad this system is.
Anytime I have to go to the Mesa Arts Center, I plan an hour and a half to go stand in line at the ticket office because their online system is worthless. I had to order online again this time because I was out of town when the tickets came online. It is as bad now as it has been for the past 8 years. I don't understand how a company can have such a poor ticket system. It boggles my mind.
Written 1 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Victoria P
Carefree, AZ1,844 contributions
Mar 2023 • Solo
I always enjoy my free visit to the Arts Center. Street parking is free.
Take the elevator downstairs or walk down the stairs to the galleries. A staff member will greet you upon your entry.
There are several separate galleries so be sure to visit all.
You will see encaustic, wood, quilts, mixed media, paper collage.
I enjoyed seeing all the works of art. Photography is welcome unless otherwise posted.
Take the elevator downstairs or walk down the stairs to the galleries. A staff member will greet you upon your entry.
There are several separate galleries so be sure to visit all.
You will see encaustic, wood, quilts, mixed media, paper collage.
I enjoyed seeing all the works of art. Photography is welcome unless otherwise posted.
Written 1 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M S
5 contributions
Jan 2022
This was our second trip to Meza for this festival. The Art Center is a beautiful venue. The staff, mostly seniors, were most kind in their efforts to handle the large crowds. Only problem is not enough parking. Fortunately the Methodist Church has a huge lot and many people, like us parked there.
Written 14 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John Mills
Benson, AZ533 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
My wife and I attended the Romantic Symphony for April Fools done by the Symphony of the Southwest. The place is immense with plenty of FREE parking and numerous stages. We have been to Phoenix Symphony Hall on several occasions, but the traffic and parking are always a hassle. Not here! Lots of parking and at least five theaters within the main complex and lots of other buildings surrounding it. If you ever want to attend a concert here, do it.
Written 7 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tad O
Hyde Park, NY4 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Went last night to see River Dance, which is Irish step dancing. The performance was superb and the facility was terrific place to take it in. We were in their largest theater, about half way back. The seats were comfortable and the view was unobstructed.
Written 4 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luv2TravelFarNWide
Atenas, Costa Rica1,385 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
Ikeda Theater is a well-designed theatre, not too huge, and quite comfortable. However, not all seats are great. The lower level "box seats" are more like 2 long rows of seats against the outer walls - not a good angle. But the gently sloping lower level seats all have good views, even the ones on the right and left side of center.
Upper balconies, while cheaper, are also further away. Great seats if sound is the primary reason you're coming here.
We were here for a National Geographic "Live" presentation. The huge screen was more than adequate for all to see well. The sound system was not working well -- not sure whose fault that was.
There were plenty of ushers to help you find your seat. There are food & bar options (which some people brought into the theatre).
Restrooms were large, clean, and adequate for the crowds.
As other reviewers mentioned, website descriptions and diagrams of seats is not good. Having been here now, next time I'll be smarter.
Upper balconies, while cheaper, are also further away. Great seats if sound is the primary reason you're coming here.
We were here for a National Geographic "Live" presentation. The huge screen was more than adequate for all to see well. The sound system was not working well -- not sure whose fault that was.
There were plenty of ushers to help you find your seat. There are food & bar options (which some people brought into the theatre).
Restrooms were large, clean, and adequate for the crowds.
As other reviewers mentioned, website descriptions and diagrams of seats is not good. Having been here now, next time I'll be smarter.
Written 18 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lhamblin
Mesa, AZ30 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
We have been to several events in this building and have been very pleased with all of them. We love having this beautiful Center so closet to home. Recently we attended the American Idol concert, we arrived later than we had planned and were concerned about parking - even though the lots next to the venue were filled, we found a spot not too far away and made it easily before the show started.
There are some renovations being made in that part of Mesa that will really add to this area of the city.
There are some renovations being made in that part of Mesa that will really add to this area of the city.
Written 17 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jared P
2 contributions
Oct 2018 • Solo
This is a wonderful theater. Seats and Stage. But buying a ticket is a bad experience altogether. The website does not have an adequate server so if it is a popular event, it will take you 30 minutes to get into the ticket sales on the web. And if you try to call the phone ticket orders, your call will be dropped. Mine was dropped 2 times, each time I go to the person who would be answering the phone to sell a ticker to me. Again, the theater is great, but man alive, buying the tickets was a real challenge. Good luck if you are trying to see a popular show and trying to get good seats. I am sad to have to write a bad review because I love the theater. But someone has to complain publicly before someone will hopefully invest in a stronger server system. They are not expensive. It's about $50 a month to have the capacity for this kind of traffic. We are only talking about a few thousand people at a time TOPS. It's astounding that they have such a limited system. Probably paying the cheapest server they could find. Too bad because it spoils the experience from the beginning. The website was even so bad that mid-seat purchase, it kicked me back and told me that some of the seats were unavailable. It didn't hold them until I was done with the purchase. So I have random seats with three here and two there. Man, it's sad to see a good theater have such a bad ticket buying experience.
My review is of the purchase process. I have been to the theater many times and they have a great theater. Just a very very very bad website and phone center. Once you get through that process, you are going to have a nice experience. It's just sad to see a great place be so foolish with its web experience.
My review is of the purchase process. I have been to the theater many times and they have a great theater. Just a very very very bad website and phone center. Once you get through that process, you are going to have a nice experience. It's just sad to see a great place be so foolish with its web experience.
Written 1 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alesha
New York City, NY108 contributions
Sept 2020
I went to see Kenny G/George Benson back a couple of years back. I was impressed with the layout of the center. It was one of the most impressive centers for a performance of this nature.
Written 12 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Silverback
Billings, MT62 contributions
Dec 2019
took my wife and in-laws to the Mesa Arts Center - what a magical time! We were especially enamored by the musical walkway outside - We were having a blast with the melodies and were getting quite the amused looks from the light rail riders waiting for the train. The art exhibits were thought provoking and the entire campus is geared so that you can watch folks making their art in various spaces. We did not take in any of the shows sadly, so I cannot review those. The art shop was amazing and the pricing was quite surprising! If you need a neat gift, this is the place to get it.
Written 12 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I haven't sat that close. If you are uncomfortable looking up rather than across, this would be a bad choice. I wouldn't do it.
Written 10 September 2019
If you want to walk then head to Mango's (Mexican).
Written 23 February 2018
Please review their website. The information is extremely valuable.
Written 15 April 2017
Just Outside in the plaza and across the street
Written 28 August 2019
What company is appearing for River Dance?
Are nursing babies allowed in the theatre?
What is the best website to purchase tickets?
Written 28 October 2015
No River Dance at the Barleen's Arizona Opry, not sure about nursing babies. Go to azopry web site
Written 13 February 2017
What company is appearing for River Dance?
Are nursing babies allowed in the theatre?
What is the best website to purchase tickets?
Written 28 October 2015
I do not know if nursing babies is allowed. I have never seen a baby/young child in the theater at evening performances. The youngest I have seen was about 10 and able to enjoy the performance. The best way to get tickets is to go directly to the Mesa Arts Center website. WestCoast Entertainment and Mike Pettite Presentations are presenting River Dance. You could find all this out by accessing the website.
Written 2 November 2015
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