The Mateel Community Center

The Mateel Community Center has fostered the arts in rural Northern California for approximately forty years. Serving as the cultural hub of the Southern Humboldt community, we provide arts, educational, and social service programs, and present a myriad of multicultural musical, theatrical, dance, comedy, film, craft, and rental events- earning our non-profit organization international acclaim.

Located in the hamlet of Redway, CA, the Mateel Community Center hall is a showcase of fine woodworking, craftsmanship, and solar design that first opened in 1988. Owned and operated by the MCC, a 501-c3 non-profit organization, the Center is well utilized by the entire community and serves as a venue for both commercial and non-profit rentals, as well as in-house Mateel productions.

The seeds that grew into the Mateel Community Center were planted in 1978 when a group of progressive young people purchased the old Fireman's Hall in Garberville as a gathering place for meetings and dances. This building was burned down by an arsonist in 1983, after which a major fundraising campaign was developed to rebuild the center in its’ current Redway location. One of the benefit events created to help with funds for the new building was Reggae On The River®, a festival which has since garnered an international reputation and continues to play a vital role in funding the annual operational expenses of the community center.

The Mateel Community Center hall has a maximum occupancy of 800 people and is a showcase of fine woodwork and passive solar design, with a full service commercial kitchen, state of the art sound and lighting, and a removable stage. Featuring a large balcony, huge windows, a sunny portico, and a new outdoor stage and amphitheater area, Mateel has been the chosen venue for thousands of events, programs, classes, weddings, meetings, and memorials presented by more than 400 different user groups and individuals.

Thanks to this dedicated support base, the Mateel Community Center has been able to realize accomplishments unheard of in what might otherwise be a sleepy rural town. The cultural diversity and economic significance our organization brings to this isolated area of the North Coast augments the quality of life for local residents and is a model for other rural communities.