MOJA Arts Festival
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MOJAARTS FESTIVAL A Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts SEPT. 27 - OCT. 7, 2018 CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA MOJAFESTIVAL.COM 1 Artwork by John Christopher Wright II • Design by Marcus Amaker LITERARY CORNER TUESDAY, WITH OCTOBER 2 CITY GALLERY TAYARI 7:30PM JONESPHOTO BY NINA-SUBIN 2 2011MOJA Program Book_2004 MOJA Program Book 9/12/11 9:54 PM Page 2 City of Charleston South Carolina Dear MOJA Festival Guests: DEAR MOJA ARTS FESTIVAL GUESTS: WelcomeWelcome to tothe the 2018 2011 MOJA MOJA Arts Arts Festival, Festival, Charleston’sCharleston’s annual annual celebration celebration of African- of American and Caribbean Arts and Culture, produced by the City of Charleston Office of African-AmericanCultural Affairs. and Caribbean arts and culture! This year we applaud the 35th Anniversary of MOJA, which is proudly produced by the City of Charleston Office of CulturalThis year’s Affairs festival with highlights the year-round include: An assistanceEvening of Jazzof the Under all-volunteer the Stars with MOJA Najee Artsat Porter-Gaud School Stadium (pg. 10); City Gallery at Waterfront Park exhibition “Special FestivalMoments: Planning Works Committee. From the Collection Over the of decades,Dr. Harold MOJA Rhodes, has III” provided (pg. 27); Charleston A Classical and Encountervisitors to with the Eleganza Holy City at thealike City the Gallery opportunity at Waterfront to comePark followed together by aeach champagne autumn and receptionfind points (pg. 11);of connection Mt. Zion Spiritual and community Singers’ soul through stirring Camp the beautyMeeting and(pg. creativity11); an of artisticenchanting and eveningcultural of expression. dance by PHILADANCO at the Gaillard Auditorium (pg. 7); Gwen Butler’s jazz cruise on the Charleston Harbor aboard the Spirit of Charleston (pg. 18); and African writer Jacqueline Maduneme’s lecture about her compelling autobiography, Ada’s ThisDaughter year, MOJA (pg. 8). renews New this it year,commitment is a unique topartnership longstanding between partnerships the Preservation while Society of launchingCharleston new and collaborations the MOJA Festival and that looking offers three to the concerts future, in historic with the downtown full calendar churches of called “Architecture in Concert” (pg. 10). These are just a few of the outstanding programs upliftingin this musicyear’s MOJA programs, Festival. compelling theatre productions, and vibrant visual arts presented in the pages of this program guide. It is a fantastic line-up that is certain to rewardEach year return the MOJA guests Festival and is equally produced inspire by the City’snew Officeattendees, of Cultural all madeAffairs possiblein collabora- by tion with the MOJA Planning Committee, chaired this year by Edna Edwards Williams with the talentsElease Amos-Goodwin and vision of serving artists as from the acrossPlanning the Committee Lowcountry Liaison and to thethe SoutheasternOCA. MOJA’s UnitedAdvisory States. Committee assists with advocacy for the festival and is chaired by the Honorable James E. Clyburn. Special thanks go to Charleston City Council for their on-going support of We extendthe MOJA our Festival thanks and alsoand to appreciation the individual todonors, the membersfoundations, of government the MOJA agencies Arts Festival and corporations who provide funding, grants and in-kind donations to help us make MOJA Planningaccessible Committee, to everyone chaired in the community. by Edna Edwards Williams. We also recognize the tireless support of Charleston City Council, and the contributions of individuals, foundations,And finally, governmentBravo to the members agencies of our and hard-working corporations Office who of Cultural together Affairs help team keep along with all of the City departments that help make it happen: Parks, Recreation, Legal, Finance, MOJABudget, accessible Police, Trafficto all while& Transportation, making a Information lasting, ongoing Technology, impact Human in Resources, our community. Public Services, Public Information, Special Facilities and the Mayor’s Office. We also thank the Office of Cultural Affairs and the various City departments that makeWe MOJA invite you possible: to bring Parks,your family Recreation, and friends Legal, to attend Finance, this year’s Budget, MOJA FestivalPolice, whichTraffic con- & City of Charlestonnects everyone in a joyous atmosphere celebrating the arts. Enjoy! Transportation, Information Technology, Human Resources, Public Services, Public John J. TecklenburgInformation, Sincerely, Special Facilities, and the Mayor’s Office. Mayor We look forward to joining you, your family and friends at this year’s MOJA Arts Festival,May 12, as2016 we once again come together to celebrate the arts here in Charleston. Enjoy!Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Ellen Dressler Moryl, Director MostCity sincerely of Charleston yours, Office of Cultural Affairs 2 John J. Tecklenburg MAYORMayor, City JOHN of Charleston J. TECKLENBURG City of Charleston 3 P.O. Box 652, Charleston, South Carolina 29402 843-577-6970 FAX 843-720-3827 MOJA ARTS FESTIVAL A CELEBRATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN ARTS DEAR MOJA SUPPORTERS: Welcome to the 2018 MOJA Arts Festival! We are thrilled to once again present Charles- ton, South Carolina’s annual celebration of African-American and Caribbean heritage, arts and culture. The Lowcountry has played a crucial role in the history and heritage of African-American and Caribbean people, and MOJA highlights these connections while bringing forward the work and voices of the next generation of artists and talents. MOJA is rooted in tradition and we know that the festival often feels like a homecoming for our longtime friends. A spirit of celebrating as friends and family is a point of pride for MOJA, and as we reach this milestone 35th Anniversary festival, we look forward to making many new friends and new artistic discoveries in 2018. We offer our most sincere gratitude to every supporter, ticket buyer, volunteer, and sponsor for making this festival a resounding success year after year. The MOJA Arts Festival is planned in partnership with an all-volunteer committee that works through- out the year to plan and produce the festival program, and we thank the entire roster of members and committee coordinators. We also commend the dedication and work of the Office of Cultural Affairs staff: Harrison Chapman, Mindy Manziano, Niki Ohlandt, Basil Punsalan, Anne Quattlebaum, Gordon Rooney, Ray Swagerty, Hannah Wathen, and Rachel Workman. We extend our gratitude to Graphic Designer, Marcus Amaker, Charleston’s poet laureate. And, of course, we salute all of the artists and participants who will make this year’s MOJA soar! We thank the members of City Council and the Honorable Mayor John J. Tecklenburg for their continued support and commitment to the mission of MOJA. It is because of this incredible local dedication and support that MOJA continues to make an impact in our community, while highlighting the very best of African-American and Caribbean arts and culture in Charleston every year. We hope you enjoy the 2018 MOJA Arts Festival, and we look forward to greeting you at events this year and in the years to come. EDNA EDWARDS WILLIAMS, SCOTT WATSON, DIRECTOR CHAIR Office of Cultural Affairs MOJA Arts Festival Planning Committee 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The MOJA Arts Festival, A Celebration of African-American and Caribbean Arts, is a project of the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs. This multi-disciplinary festival celebrates the rich heritage of African-American and Caribbean people and their contributions to the Western and world cultures. Moja, a Swahili word meaning “One,” is the appropriate name for this annual celebration of harmony amongst peo- ple. The MOJA Arts Festival is produced and directed by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in cooperation with the all-volunteer MOJA Arts Festival Planning Committee. The MOJA Arts Festival is funded in part by grants from the City of Charleston, County of Charleston and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. In addition, we are grateful to the following agencies and corporations for their major grants and sponsorships in support of the 2018 MOJA Arts Festival. Bluecross Blueshield of SC The Joanna Foundation The Boeing Company Magnolia Plantation & Gardens C&A Unlimited, Inc. – McDonalds Meeting Street Schools Cambria Hotel South Carolina Arts Commission, Charleston County which receives support from the City of Charleston National Endowment for the Arts The Gaylord & Dorothy South Carolina Department of Donnelley Foundation Parks, Recreation & Tourism Homewood Suites Charleston South State Bank Historic Foundation BE A FRIEND OF MOJA Did you know that nearly half of MOJA’s events are admission-free and Festival ticket prices are scaled to make MOJA accessible to everyone? Your financial contribution to the MOJA Arts Festival will allow us to continue this model in 2019 and beyond. Suggested giving levels for the Friends of MOJA are $50 for individuals, $100 for companies, but a gift of any amount will be put to good use and greatly appreciated. Visit mojafestival.com or call (843) 724-7305 for more information. Thank you for your support! 4 2018 MOJA VISUAL ARTS VISUAL ARTS - MOJA ARTS FESTIVAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION Venue: Historic Dock Street Theatre Drawing Room Address: 135 Church Street Admission: FREE On View: Visit MOJAfestival.com for daily hours Annually, this juried art