2026 MOJA Arts Festival Juried Art Exhibition

The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs presents the 2026 MOJA Arts Festival Juried Art Exhibition, on view at City Gallery September 25-October 25, 2026, with an opening reception September 25 from 5-7pm that is free and open to the public. City Gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon until 5pm.

This annual juried art exhibition highlights the recent work of artists across South Carolina, as well as those based in communities proximate to the Gullah Geechee Heritage Corridor in the adjacent states of Georgia and North Carolina, featuring painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, and photography. Artworks receiving prizes are presented alongside a limited selection of pieces identified by the juror as meriting display. This year’s exhibition was juried by artist and gallerist Arun Drummond.

The MOJA Arts Festival is an annual, eight-day, national celebration of Black arts, culture, and heritage that honors the lasting contributions of the African Diaspora. MOJA is produced by MOJA Arts, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs. Join residents of Charleston and guests from across South Carolina and the United States to experience the Lowcountry’s unique cultural and historical connection to the global Black experience through music, food, and artisans. The festival annually recognizes the African American traditions and cultural legacies of four selected West African and Caribbean countries and cultures. The 2026 festival will celebrate Barbados, Gullah Geechee, Jamaica and Sierra Leone.

2026 Invited Artists 

Invited artists this year include: Brittany Alston, Carlos Bilal, Chris Bilton, Tyler Blanton, Chelsey Bradley, Eric Bridges, Colleen Cannon-Karlos, Heather Conyers, Tanya Craig, John Daso, Ty Davis, Benjamin Egelson, Linda Elksnin, Harriet Forbes, Ayanna Gadsden, Timothy Green, Raven Greene, Monique Gross, Kenish Harmon, Malik Hayward, Karyn Healey, Joanna Henry, Kirsten Hoving, Damion Johnson, John W. Jones, Celeste Joye, Ben Kelly, Rodney King, Tamala Leighfield, Flavia Lovatelli, Tiana Lynaé, Robert Maniscalco, Titus Marques, Akua Page, Quincy Pugh, Shamsad Rahman, Najee Reese, Kevin Russell, Caroline Rust, Willis Sanders, Pascale Sexton, Tessa Spencer, Tatiana Tatum, LaToya Thompson, Julia Vanderpool, Tina Vincent, Brittney Washington, Nathalie Watson, Roginia Watson, Sabrina White, and Julian Williams.