Tickets are on sale for the annual MOJA Arts Festival, a Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts, produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the all-volunteer MOJA Program Committee. From September 25 through October 5 2014, the festival offers a variety of arts and cultural programs, including theatre, dance, literary and visual arts, as well as jazz, gospel, reggae, and many free, family-friendly events.
2014 MOJA Festival Highlights:
• Regina Belle offers her smooth vocals at her performance on Saturday, September 27 at 8 p.m. at the Family Circle Stadium. Rochelle Whitney Green will be the opening act.
• Art Forms and Theatre Concepts, Inc.; presents “Bubbling Brown Sugar”, the musical theatre highlight of the 2014 Piccolo Spoleto Festival, remounted at the Dock Street Theatre for MOJA.
• The MOJA Gospel concert “A Sea Island Gospel Explosion” at Trinity United Methodist Church is on Sunday, September 28 at 4 p.m., featuring Allen AME Church Men’s Choir, The Male Chorus of Greater St. John AME and New First Missionary Baptist Church Men’s Choir and Reverend Randolph Miller as Master of Ceremony.
• A Classical Encounter “Poems of the Deep Song” presents a delightful classical program featuring D’Jaris Whipper Lewis, Tiffany Rice, Anna Brock and Ellen Dressler Moryl on Monday, September 29 at 6 p.m., at Mt. Zion AME Church.
• Legendary artist Carmen de Lavallade combines movement and storytelling to present her solo masterpiece “As I Remember It” on Friday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m., at the Dock Street Theatre.
Community Tribute Luncheon: Each year, MOJA honors outstanding community leaders for their contributions to the quality of life and community service. The 2014 honorees are: Mrs. Karole Turner Campbell, Mrs. Adrianne M. Holt, Ms. Barbara Gathers, Mr. Joseph R. Frasier, Jr., Elise Davis-McFarland, PhD, Ms. Octavia Mitchell, Tri-County Black Nurses Association, Ms. Zaria Omega Stewart, Mr. Bruce Mitchell, II, Mr. Michael Whack and Reverend Alonzo Washington.
Recognition of the honorees will be held on Saturday, October 4 at 11:30 a.m. at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Advance reservations are required; call 843-724-7305 for more information.
Free Events:
• MOJA officially opens on Thursday, September 25 at 6:00 p.m., with the annual Opening Day Street Parade beginning at Marion Square and concluding at the U.S. Custom House. Parade route heads down King and Market Streets, featuring students from many Charleston County Schools, African drummers and dancers, boy scouts, girl scouts and members of civic organizations. Opening Reception to follow in the courtyard of the Dock Street Theatre.
• The Reggae Block Dance begins at 6:30 p.m., at Brittlebank Park on Friday, September 26. Charleston’s own reggae band, The Dubplates will be headlining this fun-filled evening of music and dance. Also performing will be Dream Merchants, and Tony Roy and Yawd Lynk, plus African drumming and dancing with Bob Small and the Harambe Sisterhood.
• Heritage Day at the Charleston Farmers Market on Saturday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Marion Square showcasing local and regional talent along with a major Health and Wellness Fair that includes on-site screenings and health information tents.
• The MOJA Finale in Hampton Park starts at 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, providing a rousing end to an exciting festival. There will also be African-American and Caribbean craft vendors, sumptuous ethnic and festival foods and more.
Visual Arts:The 2014 poster image is Wali by South Carolina native, Alvin B. Glen. An exhibition showcasing Glen’s work, on view Alvin B. Glen: Man, Media, Message will be on view at The Art Institute of Charleston throughout the run of the festival.
In addition to the Alvin B. Glen: Man, Media, Message exhibition, running from September 25 through October 30 at The Art Institute, MOJA Visual Arts programs also include:
• The MOJA Juried Art Exhibition on view presently through Oct. 3 at the Avery Research Center for African-American History and Culture and honors works in all media by regional artists. Awards will be announced at a reception on Sunday, September 21 at 5:30 p.m.
• The concurring exhibition African Diaspora – Convergence and Reclamation, on view presently at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park, is curated by Dr. Ade Ofunniyin. An artist lecture will be held on Sunday, September 28 at 3 p.m. The exhibition will be on view for the duration of the MOJA Arts Festival.
2014 MOJA Arts Festival Program:Full details of the 2014 MOJA Arts Festival, including a comprehensive listing of events, theatre, literary arts, music and community events, are available by visiting www.mojafestival.com. A print Program Guide will be distributed throughout Charleston prior to the start of the festival.
Ticketing:Tickets are available now! Tickets to all other MOJA events may be purchased by calling 866-811-4111 or online at www.mojafestival.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, 180 Meeting St., Suite 200, Charleston, SC 29401: Through Sept. 19, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 22 - Oct. 3, Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The MOJA Arts Festival is a multi-disciplinary festival produced and directed by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the MOJA Program Committee. MOJA, a Swahili word meaning “One,” is the appropriate name for this festival that fosters and promotes of harmony amongst all people in our community. The Festival highlights the many African-American and Caribbean contributions to western and world cultures. MOJA’s wide range of events include visual arts, classical music, dance, gospel, jazz, poetry, storytelling, theatre, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food, and much, much more. In addition to its myriad arts presentations, MOJA also includes an educational outreach component of workshops in the public schools and senior outreach in senior citizen homes.
2014 MOJA Arts Festival Sponsors are: The Boeing Company; XFINITY; C&A Unlimited, Inc. – McDonalds; Hilton Garden Inn Charleston Waterfront/Downtown; Roper St. Francis Healthcare; Total Wine & More; Resident Advisory Board of the Housing Authority of the City of Charleston; BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina; SCE&G; Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated; Magnolia Plantation & Gardens; AT&T South Carolina; Charleston Police Department Weed & Seed Program; Radisson Hotel Charleston Airport.
Additional Grants received from: City of Charleston; Charleston County; South Carolina Arts Commission; South Arts; New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA); The Joanna Foundation.