This year’s 11-day MOJA Arts Festival is just around the corner. We should all be excited by what’s ahead.
During its 40 years, MOJA’s rich blend of African and American and Caribbean arts has become a much-anticipated event that brings everyone together. If you haven’t experienced the vibrance, sounds, scents and passion that this festival brings to the Holy City, you need to carve out some time to partake in events from Sept. 26 to Oct. 6.
Kudos to Charleston City Council for appropriating $300,000 in 2023 and 2024 to grow the financial support of MOJA so it can become a fall festival on par with spring’s Piccolo Spoleto. This year, MOJA has an annual budget of about $500,000 and there are plans to grow it to a $1 million year-round event by 2027 with help from institutional and individual donors as well as leadership by a MOJA-related foundation.
Grammy-winning musician Charlton Singleton, who was invited last year to serve as MOJA’s artistic director, says the festival celebrates culture emanating from Gullah and, ultimately, West African roots. And that, he said, links everyone in the Lowcountry.
“Music, dance, visual arts — just about all of what we think of being ‘popular culture’ in today’s society can be traced back and is rooted in western Africa, which eventually became the Gullah community, which spread to the Caribbean. It definitely connects all of us,” Singleton told the City Paper.
The performer and educator said Charleston, which thrives on tourism, can further enhance MOJA to make it one of the best festivals in the Southeast.
“We have the history, location and local support to make it so,” he said. “We have all talked about it being bigger than anything. All we have to do now is work together to make it a reality.”
This year’s MOJA Arts Festival will offer lots of fun for everyone. You can enjoy jazz, gospel, comedy and even “gangstagrass,” an interesting blend of bluegrass and hip-hop. On Oct. 2 will be the always popular MOJA on King evening block party with outdoor dining, live music, dancing and vendors who sell arts and crafts.
MOJA also is exciting for area students. “In addition to kids getting the opportunity to experience many free events, performances and exhibits that are often not presented to them on a regular basis, we have our ‘4th Grade Readout’ program,” Singleton added. “The ‘4th grade Readout’ is an annual highlight, with 4th graders from participating Charleston County schools being given a selected book about African American history to take home and read.”
Get your mojo working this year by enjoying MOJA.
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