The Mesa Arts Center is a performing and visual arts complex in downtown

Mesa, Arizona Mesa ( ) is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the most populous city in the East Valley section of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by Tempe on the west, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community ...

. At more than square feet, the $95 million facility, completed in 2005, is the largest comprehensive arts campus in the state.Mesa Arts Center. (n.d.). ''Fact Sheet'' DF file Retrieved from https://www.mesaartscenter.com/download.php/media/fact-sheets/facts/mesa-arts-center-fact-sheet. The Mesa Arts Center encompasses four performance venues, from the intimate 99-seat Farnsworth Studio Theater to the 1,600-seat Ikeda Theater. The center is home to the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, which houses five art galleries with of exhibition space. The facility also features 14 visual and performing art classroom studios. Multi-use areas throughout the campus provide both indoor and outdoor gathering and presentation spaces.

Architecture

The architecture of the entire complex is primarily post-modern, with sharp, jagged angles, canted walls, sloping roofs, glass walls, and a reflection of the local vernacular in both colors and materials. The campus is inspired by a geode, and guides pedestrians from the outer concrete walls to a central space of glass, water, and color. This campus has been designed to be reflective of the Sonoran Desert. The complex was designed by Bora Architects of

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in associations with DWL Architects + Planners, Inc., of

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the onl ...

. Martha Schwartz Inc. served as landscape architect for the project. Michael Tingley was the Principal Architect from Bora Architects that partnered with Schwartz on the creation of this complex. The Shadow Walk is a major pathway through the campus that is lined with outdoor gardens, sunken courtyards, performance spaces, water features, stainless steel pergolas, and giant canopies. In addition to the Shadow Walk, public art has been added to the architecture to connect it to the community. This includes "Fragmented Landscapes" by Ned Kahn, "Colorwalk" by Beth Galston, "Light Storm" by Catherine Widgery, and "Memento" by Rebecca Ross.

History

The movement to construct the Mesa Arts Center was championed by Wayne Brown, who served as the Mayor of Mesa from 1996 to 2000. Under Brown, the city passed a quality-of-life

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in 1998 to help pay for the center. Though he left office in 2000, Brown and his wife, Kathye, continued a private fundraising campaign for the arts center. The couple ultimately raised more than $4.5 million from the private sector beginning in 2000. The Mesa Arts Center's

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...

courtyard A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary ...

is named for Wayne Brown. The Executive Director of the Mesa Arts Center since July, 2010 has been Cindy Ornstein, who is also a faculty associate at ASU's Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. The Assistant Director since 2006 has been Rob Schultz. Before becoming Assistant Director, Schultz was Visual Arts Supervisor and Acting Arts Administrator. The Performing Arts Administrator is Randall Vogel, CFE. He has been in charge of Theaters and Operations since June 2002.Mesa Arts Center. (n.d.). ''Randall Vogel, CFE'' DF file Retrieved from https://www.mesaartscenter.com/download.php/media/fact-sheets/biographies/randy-vogel-director-of-theaters.

Programs

The programs are hosted in four buildings on the Mesa Arts Center campus. This includes the four theaters, the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, and 14 art studios. * Performing Live ** Professional touring engagements perform at the Mesa Arts Center; this includes Broadway, classical music, popular music, ethnic artists, western artists, dance, National Geographic Live speaker series, and family entertainment. To view their current list of shows, please visit the Mesa Arts Center website under their "Shows" tab.

References

External links

Mesa Arts Center website

Mesa Arts Center
project a Bora Architects website {{authority control Arts centers in Arizona Performing arts centers in Arizona Art museums and galleries in Arizona Contemporary art galleries in the United States Museums in Mesa, Arizona Music venues in Arizona Buildings and structures in Mesa, Arizona Art museums established in 2005 Event venues established in 2005 Buildings and structures completed in 2005 Tourist attractions in Maricopa County, Arizona