The 10 Most Artistic Mid-Sized Cities in America
gogobot, by Shelby
We’ve all heard the story of a dreamer packing up and moving to the big city to become an artist. It’s easy to believe that you have to go to a metropolis like New York City or Los Angeles to find a decent art scene, but that simply isn’t true. These days there are plenty of mid-sized towns that have vibrant art scenes. We set out to find out which ones were the most artistic.
- Richmond, VA
- Boise, ID
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Dayton, OH
- Pasadena, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Ventura, CA
- Tacoma, WA
- Burbank, CA
- Berkeley, CA
1. Richmond, VA.
The people of Richmond aren’t just passionate patrons of the arts, their love is both deep and wide. Richmond topped our list in terms of museums and performance venues, making it an excellent destination for both live and static art. If you appreciate seeing original works by master painters, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is a must-see. The spacious museum has a collection of over 22,000 pieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Andy Warhol.
If you prefer to watch artists perform, you can catch shows at a variety of Richmond venues. At the beautiful and spacious Carpenter Theatre, you can watch a ballet troupe or symphony. For a more intimate experience, the Gottwald Playhouse allows you to observe the look in an actor’s eyes as they play their part.
