School of Arts and Culture at MHP

San Jose, CA

The School of Arts and Culture at MHP (SOAC) operates out of Mexican Heritage Plaza (La Plaza) in East San Jose, California, a landmark multibuilding cultural campus dedicated to preserving and celebrating the Mexican, Latino, and Indigenous heritage of the region. Through visual arts education, exhibitions, community programming, and cultural celebrations, the School serves as a vital hub for East San Jose's Latino community and a platform for artists whose work is rooted in the cultures and histories of the Americas. La Plaza is a 6-acre, city-owned facility comprising multiple buildings, including a 500-seat theater, galleries, classrooms, gardens, and meeting spaces, each supporting distinct dimensions of the organization's artistic and educational mission.

A 2026 FCI Technical Assistance Grant will support an engineering consultant–led decarbonization and electrification roadmap for the campus, including evaluation of HVAC, boiler, and lighting systems alongside rooftop solar feasibility. The project will produce an implementation-ready plan that guides the school's path toward reduced fossil fuel dependence and lower operating costs.