Mesa's Creative Economy Thrives with AI Storytelling and AR Design

In the heart of Mesa, a new wave of innovation is transforming the creative landscape.

 

At the forefront is the Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center, a state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2022.

 

This center serves as a hub for filmmakers, designers, and technologists, offering cutting-edge resources for virtual production and augmented reality (AR) design.

 

Students and professionals alike are leveraging these tools to push the boundaries of AI storytelling and immersive media.

 

In May 2025, the MIX Center hosted MIXibition Spring 2025, a showcase highlighting immersive storytelling and design projects.

 

One standout was "A Walled City," an interactive AI art installation that constructs a decentralized virtual settlement in real time, based on participants’ visual memories.

 

This project drew inspiration from the demolished Kowloon Walled City, blending historical context with modern technology.

 

The MIX Center's Virtual Production Volume Studio has also become a game-changer for the local creative economy.

 

Available for community use, this facility allows creators to produce high-quality content without the need for extensive physical sets.

 

As Calvin Stanley, the studio's technical director, noted, "This is something that we'd like to open up to whoever's interested in learning about virtual production, making sure that this kind of technology is not just siloed in the studios of Hollywood, but also present here in downtown Mesa."

 

Educational institutions are also embracing these advancements.

 

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts offers transdisciplinary degrees focusing on extended reality technologies, preparing students for careers in immersive education and beyond.

 

Through initiatives like the XRts Immersive Media Fellowship, diverse artists and technologists are supported in driving social change through immersive experiences.

 

Seventy years after 3D films first captivated audiences, Mesa's creators are once again redefining reality.

 

With a blend of AI, AR, and a thriving creative economy, the city is not just keeping pace with technological advancements—it's setting the standard.