USA TODAY 10Best
Cleveland's University Circle wins Best Arts District
Best Arts District (2021)
What makes an inspiring art district? Revitalized and renewed urban spaces in once derelict neighborhoods, big name museums with architecture as impressive as the art housed within or streets lined with small galleries and studios interspersed with trendy cafes — no two of these 10Best Art Districts offer quite the same experience, but they all culturally enrich their cities and those who visit.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Arts District are as follows:
- Warehouse Arts District - Tucson
- Santa Fe Railyard Arts District - Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Wabash Arts Corridor - Chicago
- Wynwood - Miami
- Historic Third Ward - Milwaukee
- Station North Arts District - Baltimore
- Arts District Houston - Houston
- Dallas Arts District - Dallas
- Northeast Minneapolis Arts District - Minneapolis
- University Circle - Cleveland, Ohio
Photo courtesy of Visit Tucson
No. 10:
This downtown Tucson arts district has been attracting creative types since the 1980s. It’s one of the best spots in the city to find visual art exhibitions and live music performances amid the collection of galleries, studios and creative spaces.
Photo courtesy of USA TODAY
No. 9:
A few blocks southwest of the Santa Fe Plaza, the Railyard Arts District features several leading art galleries, including the contemporary powerhouse SITE Santa Fe, within a series of warehouses within walking distance of each other.
Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago
No. 8:
This arts district in the heart of Chicago’s South Loop features one of the nation’s largest public arts programs. This “living urban canvas” features abundant street art, as well as performance spaces, public art installations, galleries and other cultural institutions.
Photo courtesy of Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau
No. 7:
The once quiet Wynwood neighborhood of Miami has transformed into one of the city's busiest art districts, with more than 70 galleries, museums and collections. Before stepping foot in a gallery, the visual bombardment begins with the Wynwood Walls, a series of giant murals by some of street art's biggest names. During Art Basel, the Wynwood Arts District hosts popular pop-up parties and creative collaborations between artists, musicians and commercial brands.
Photo courtesy of Visit Milwaukee
No. 6:
Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward is home to a staggering number of galleries, studios, museums, performing arts spaces and art organizations, including the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Galleries, Milwaukee Potters Guild, ArtWorks for Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network.
Photo courtesy of Central Baltimore Partnership
No. 5:
The Station North Arts and Entertainment District, located in Central Baltimore near Penn Station and Mount Vernon, comprises a collection of galleries, artist live-work spaces and early 20th century row homes. The off-beat arts and nightlife scene includes the six-screen art house Charles Theater, the Metro Gallery and the artist-owned Area 405. Each July, the neighborhood hosts the country's biggest free art festivals, Artscape.
Photo courtesy of Arts District Houston
No. 4:
Arts District Houston, a state-appointed Arts and Cultural District in the city’s First and Sixth Wards, encompasses more than 400 studio spaces for artists and designers and numerous gallery spaces. Visitors can experience art in the Site Gallery, housed within former silos, snap photos of the murals along Art Alley or see underground installations in the Bayou Park Cistern.
Photo courtesy of Joseph Haubert / Dallas Arts District
No. 3:
The Dallas Arts District at the northeast corner of downtown is the largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation, spanning 118 acres. This neighborhood has more buildings designed by Pritzker award-winning architects than any location in the world. Among its many museums, galleries, and performance halls are the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, Crow Museum of Asian Art, Winspear Opera House and the Meyerson Symphony Center.
Photo courtesy of Northeast Minneapolis Arts District
No. 2:
Centered around the Northrup King Building, the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District is home to a dozen artist studio buildings where some 450 artists have studio space. The district’s signature event, Art-A-Whirl, brings together more than 850 participating artists each year.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Gruntkowski / University Circle
No. 1:
University Circle packs a lot into just one square mile. Art lovers will find the Cleveland Institute of Art Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art and the Sculpture Center, as well as several theaters, music halls and performing arts centers.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning neighborhoods!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
10Best Local Experts
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10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
Helen Homan Wu
Helen Homan Wu
Helen Homan Wu is a Travel Curator and Founder of Curagenda, a luxury travel agency offering insider experiences for culture and art lovers around the world. Helen is also a member of Virtuoso and specializes in curated trips to Japan.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
