For over twenty-two years the Mateel Community Center has supported the arts in rural Northern California. Serving as the cultural hub of our Humboldt County community, we provide arts and educational programs, as well a myriad of multicultural musical and theatrical events, earning our non-profit organization statewide, national and international acclaim.

The Community Center began in 1978, when a group of progressive young people purchased the old "Firemen's Hall" in Garberville, as a gathering place for meetings and dances. In 1983, after an arsonist burned down that building along with several other area businesses, the group began work on fundraising to build a new center in the neighboring town of Redway. One of the benefit events for that building fund was the first Reggae on the River, which today, is co-produced by People Productions as our largest annual event, consistently attracting more than 12,000 visitors to our area every August.

Today the Mateel Community Center hall, named for the two rivers that run through the southern Humboldt area, the Mattole and the Eel, has an occupancy rate of 800 and is a showcase of fine woodwork and solar design, with a full service commercial kitchen and an expandable, portable stage. With a large sweeping balcony, huge windows, and a sunny portico, the Mateel makes an indelible statement on the accomplishments that this small, hard working community can provide to its fellow residents. The MCC hall has been the chosen venue for hundreds of music and performing arts programs, events and classes, and over 250 organizations and businesses that hold their events and seminars here. The average annual attendance at events in the MCC hall totals more than 45,000 individuals and grows larger every year. The Mateel, a non profit organization, does not rely on state or federal funding but has managed to maintain our mission and business through the support of our generous, community; small private grant funds; and our events.

Our major events, in addition to Reggae on the River, include our longest running event, the Summer Arts and Music Festival, held at Benbow Lake Sate Park; the Humboldt Hills Hoedown, a September bluegrass music festival; the Winter Arts Faire, held in December and the New Year's Eve, Black & Red Ball.

The Mateel sponsors, co-sponsors and/or produces several other events during the year that cater to our community's wants and needs, including several different genres of theatre: monologues, skits, full length plays and musicals; dance; music and storytelling, (See "Cultural Events") adding to the cultural enrichment of schoolchildren in our local district directly effected by the decline in funding for arts in our schools. For many children in our isolated rural area, these performances are their only opportunities to experience, first-hand, music and artistry of a diverse and culturally enriching nature. Performances are frequently provided at no cost, or minimal cost, to the schools and students. Examples of programs we've provided include the Mateel Meal, Recycled Youth, the San Francisco Mime Troupe, Make a Circus, the Tolerance Theater Project and the annual residency of The Missoula Children's Theater to name a few. A brand new program we've added is the Random Peoples' Monologues Project, which solicits and guides local, established or aspiring writers to write monologues, and actors to act them out on stage culminating in performances at the hall for the public.

In addition to our programs and events, throughout the year, the Mateel provides a venue for concerts, memorial gatherings, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, fundraisers, annual meetings, classes and seminars.

Behind it all, lie the hearts and good works of the community volunteers, the members of the Mateel, the many businesses and organizations that support us, and the Mateel Community Center's devoted and qualified staff who share decades of experience in presentation, production, and the marketing of music festivals and other events. We have realized accomplishments basically unheard of in what might otherwise be seen as a sleepy rural town. The Mateel Community Center brings a depth of cultural diversity to this isolated, but beautiful area on the northern coast of California, helping to augment the quality of life for the residents here. The creation of an economically viable and independent organization, making sustainable and significant economic contributions to the northern California community, is a notable, and some would think, unattainable achievement. However, for years this great community, through the Mateel Community Center, has proven it doable again and again.