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 bond issue 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. Mesa Arts Center broke ground in 2002 and opened its doors in 2005. The Mesa Arts Center's sculpture courtyard is named for Brown.
