The Mecca Theater and Cultural Arts Center (“Mecca”) located at 137 N. Main Street in Chase City, Virginia will be a second-run movie theater and cultural arts center brought back to life by Save Our Heritage (“SOH”), a local citizen-based non-profit organization dedicated to community revitalization using the arts and culture to stimulate the local economy and increase the sense of community and reduce feelings of isolation especially prevalent post-pandemic.
The Mecca will offer a wide range of classes and events to maximize the financial success of the organization. The Mecca will offer filmmaking and photography classes for all ages and abilities, host music events, and host a “talk-series” featuring film directors, writers, and other arts industry professionals. These events and classes will provide a unique opportunity for experienced professionals to share with locals (and others) their career development paths, experiences, and give advice for those interested in pursuing a career in the film industry. A core value of the Mecca and SOH is ensuring people of all ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, races and cultures use and are invited to attend and host events – diversity of staff, events, and customers is a documented key to financial success for all organizations.
The Mecca will also have impacts at the regional and national level when it begins to host an annual film festival. Mecca leadership is already beginning discussions with regional colleges and universities and award-winning filmmakers to participate. Just as Sundance Film Festival focused on films made outside of the Hollywood system, the Mecca plans to host a festival featuring movies and documentaries by the diversity of people from Virginia and the South telling their own stories, histories, and personal experiences. While slavery and the Civil War are an important part of Virginia history it is not its only contribution to history, art, and culture in this country. Moreover, providing a platform that actively features the work of our culturally diverse population including the BIPOC population (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) contributes to ensuring a more accurate representation of the South. With new housing and hotel projects planned and underway, the film festival will provide an annual injection of funds to the Mecca and Chase City.