How it started.
How it’s going.
In Costa Mesa, the arts aren’t on the sidelines. They’re the main event, and they shape the city’s spirit and bring its streets and spaces to life.
Whether you’re following a plan or just seeing where the day takes you, creativity meets you at every turn. Think Broadway-caliber performances, a Tony® Award-winning theater company, bold architecture, and a public art walk with its own audio tour.
At the center of it all is Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Orange County’s cultural heart. And right next door, the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art and the award winning South Coast Repertory adds even more fuel to the city’s creative fire. From unexpected murals to world-class museums, Costa Mesa isn’t just a place to visit. It’s one to experience.
How it’s going.
In Costa Mesa, the arts aren’t on the sidelines. They’re the main event, and they shape the city’s spirit and bring its streets and spaces to life.
Whether you’re following a plan or just seeing where the day takes you, creativity meets you at every turn. Think Broadway-caliber performances, a Tony® Award-winning theater company, bold architecture, and a public art walk with its own audio tour.
At the center of it all is Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Orange County’s cultural heart. And right next door, the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art and the award winning South Coast Repertory adds even more fuel to the city’s creative fire. From unexpected murals to world-class museums, Costa Mesa isn’t just a place to visit. It’s one to experience.
More than a nickname,
it’s an identity.
Costa Mesa didn’t stumble into the title “City of the Arts®.” It earned it. From visionary planning that prioritized arts access to the development of world-class institutions like Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art, creativity has always been part of this city’s foundation. The arts aren’t just supported here: they’re woven into the way the city moves, grows, and thinks.
You’ll find it in more than just the theaters and galleries. It’s in the chef-driven menus that treat food like a craft, in the bold storefronts of indie boutiques and global fashion houses, and in the locally designed goods that turn everyday shopping into an art form. Around here, creativity takes a lot of shapes, and it shows.
Ready for an art-venture?
Costa Mesa’s creativity lives out in the open, not just behind gallery doors. The city’s free Art Walk leads you past more than 20 pieces of public art, from massive murals to bold sculptures by artists who’ve made their mark around the globe. With a self-guided audio tour to give you all the background (and pause for all the selfies), it’s an experience that turns a casual stroll into a masterpiece.
Street-level icons.
The city’s public sculptures are bold, unexpected, and totally photo-worthy, with works from internationally renowned artists to rising local voices. Each piece is part of a larger story—of expression, community, and a city that proudly puts art on a pedestal (sometimes literally).
Connector
This 65-foot-tall, 360-ton steel sculpture by Richard Serra is his tallest work to date and one of Costa Mesa’s most iconic landmarks. Monumental, minimalist, and impossible to miss.
California Scenario (Noguchi Garden)
Officially called California Scenario, but locals know it as Noguchi. This hidden gem by famed sculptor Isamu Noguchi blends nature, geometry, and storytelling into a peaceful urban oasis.
The Ram
Playful, bold, and unmistakably modern. Charles O. Perry’s Ram is a standout in Town Center Park—just across from South Coast Plaza—and a favorite photo op for good reason
Street-level icons.
The city’s public sculptures are bold, unexpected, and totally photo-worthy, with works from internationally renowned artists to rising local voices. Each piece is part of a larger story—of expression, community, and a city that proudly puts art on a pedestal (sometimes literally).
Connector
This 65-foot-tall, 360-ton steel sculpture by Richard Serra is his tallest work to date and one of Costa Mesa’s most iconic landmarks. Monumental, minimalist, and impossible to miss.
California Scenario (Noguchi Garden)
Officially called California Scenario, but locals know it as Noguchi. This hidden gem by famed sculptor Isamu Noguchi blends nature, geometry, and storytelling into a peaceful urban oasis.
The Ram
Playful, bold, and unmistakably modern. Charles O. Perry’s Ram is a standout in Town Center Park—just across from South Coast Plaza—and a favorite photo op for good reason
The stage is set.
Big talent takes center stage in Costa Mesa. From Broadway blockbusters and world-class ballet to symphony, jazz, and experimental works, the city’s stages host it all. Whether you're dressed up for opening night or catching a matinee with the family, this is the kind of place where extraordinary performances happen on the regular.
Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
The jewel of the plaza and a stunner inside and out. Known for its jaw-dropping acoustics and sleek, modern design, this concert hall hits all the right notes.
Segerstrom Hall
A landmark in more ways than one. With its soaring Grand Portal arch and iconic “Fire Bird” sculpture, Segerstrom Hall is the nucleus of the arts campus, and the backdrop for Broadway blockbusters, ballet, and more.
South Coast Repertory
Tony® Award-winning and totally transformative. SCR has premiered more than 500 new works spanning six decades and continues to shape the future of American theater, one boundary-pushing play at a time.
The stage is set.
Big talent takes center stage in Costa Mesa. From Broadway blockbusters and world-class ballet to symphony, jazz, and experimental works, the city’s stages host it all. Whether you're dressed up for opening night or catching a matinee with the family, this is the kind of place where extraordinary performances happen on the regular.
Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
The jewel of the plaza and a stunner inside and out. Known for its jaw-dropping acoustics and sleek, modern design, this concert hall hits all the right notes.
Segerstrom Hall
A landmark in more ways than one. With its soaring Grand Portal arch and iconic “Fire Bird” sculpture, Segerstrom Hall is the nucleus of the arts campus, and the backdrop for Broadway blockbusters, ballet, and more.
South Coast Repertory
Tony® Award-winning and totally transformative. SCR has premiered more than 500 new works spanning six decades and continues to shape the future of American theater, one boundary-pushing play at a time.
Wall-to-wall wow.
Blank walls are just opportunities waiting to be transformed. From tucked-away alley gems to massive, building-sized masterpieces, murals are part of the city’s everyday landscape. Each one brings a splash of personality (and a perfect photo op) while telling a vivid story.
Costa Mesa Bloom
This original work by Aaron Glasson is a love letter to the city itself. Bursting with color, it highlights native flora and fauna in a way that feels both vibrant and grounded, just like Costa Mesa.
Dolly Parton
A bold, joyful tribute to an American icon. Painted in 2021, this mural honors Dolly Parton’s legacy, from her enduring support of the LGBTQ+ community to her pivotal role in COVID-19 vaccine funding. It’s big hair, big heart, and big impact, all in one wonderful wall.
Kobe and Friends
This powerful mural pays tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven others who lost their lives in the 2020 helicopter crash. It’s more than a memorial—it’s a beautiful reminder of legacy, love, and the impact of those who inspire us.
Wall-to-wall wow.
Blank walls are just opportunities waiting to be transformed. From tucked-away alley gems to massive, building-sized masterpieces, murals are part of the city’s everyday landscape. Each one brings a splash of personality (and a perfect photo op) while telling a vivid story.
Costa Mesa Bloom
This original work by Aaron Glasson is a love letter to the city itself. Bursting with color, it highlights native flora and fauna in a way that feels both vibrant and grounded, just like Costa Mesa.
Dolly Parton
A bold, joyful tribute to an American icon. Painted in 2021, this mural honors Dolly Parton’s legacy, from her enduring support of the LGBTQ+ community to her pivotal role in COVID-19 vaccine funding. It’s big hair, big heart, and big impact, all in one wonderful wall.
Kobe and Friends
This powerful mural pays tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven others who lost their lives in the 2020 helicopter crash. It’s more than a memorial—it’s a beautiful reminder of legacy, love, and the impact of those who inspire us.
Art you can eat.
Food is one more way Costa Mesa expresses its artistic soul. Whether you’re grabbing Korean tacos, diving into modern Italian, or savoring a James Beard-nominated dish, you’re not just eating. You’re experiencing flavor as craft, culture, and creative spark.
Knife Pleat
Knife Pleat brings French elegance to the top floor of South Coast Plaza. With a Michelin Star to its name, this culinary gem offers lunch, dinner, and high tea in a setting that feels as chic as the food is remarkable.
Hana Re Sushi
Part theater, part ritual, all experience. Chef Atsushi Yokoyama’s intimate omakase offers just 10 coveted seats and a private table, with seafood flown in daily from Japan. It’s sushi, elevated to art.
Vaca
Vaca is a Spanish restaurant from executive chef Amar Santana, who has competed as a front-runner on Bravo TV’s award-winning “Top Chef” series. Vaca continues to receive accolades and has been Michelin recognized since 2015.
Art you can eat.
Food is one more way Costa Mesa expresses its artistic soul. Whether you’re grabbing Korean tacos, diving into modern Italian, or savoring a James Beard-nominated dish, you’re not just eating. You’re experiencing flavor as craft, culture, and creative spark.
Knife Pleat
Knife Pleat brings French elegance to the top floor of South Coast Plaza. With a Michelin Star to its name, this culinary gem offers lunch, dinner, and high tea in a setting that feels as chic as the food is remarkable.
Hana Re Sushi
Part theater, part ritual, all experience. Chef Atsushi Yokoyama’s intimate omakase offers just 10 coveted seats and a private table, with seafood flown in daily from Japan. It’s sushi, elevated to art.
Vaca
Vaca is a Spanish restaurant from executive chef Amar Santana, who has competed as a front-runner on Bravo TV’s award-winning “Top Chef” series. Vaca continues to receive accolades and has been Michelin recognized since 2015.
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