Mojisola launched Utopia Theatre with a vision and mission to empower and engage African communities, support emerging artists and inspire the next generation of creatives.
A National Portfolio Funded Organisation with Arts Council England, Utopia Theatre is now a leading voice for African Theatre in the UK. The company is dedicated to demonstrating the rich cultural heritage of African theatre and earlier this year launched a Youth Academy to run performing arts classes and workshops for 9 to 19-year-olds alongside a programme of mentoring and training. The academy is the first of its kind in Sheffield, providing opportunities for young people of African and Caribbean descent, as well as those from other minority groups. By breaking down barriers, the academy supports young people to be confident future leaders.
While theatre and performance have always been Mojisola’s first love, it wasn’t until she was in her 40s that she ventured into the creative industry professionally. Prior to this, she was a successful human rights lawyer representing asylum seekers who came to the UK to claim political asylum.
It was in 2008 that Mojisola returned to university to kickstart her ‘second career’ – studying theatre performance at York St John University. Her first arts career role was a 6-month internship at York Theatre Royal. From there she’s enjoyed building genuine relationships across the arts sector, commissioning new writing and presenting established classics within a strong African context to dispel stereotypes and encourage authentic voices from the African diaspora.
Mojisola is an inspirational creative storyteller and theatre maker. She officially launched Utopia Theatre in 2012, prior to which she worked on a variety of productions and in rewarding roles. Her accolades and roles have included Staff Director at The National Theatre and Guest Director at East 15 Acting school and University of West Scotland. Mojisola was the recipient of a 2017 Opera Awards Foundation bursary and is a founding member of Mosaic Opera Collective. She was also a visiting director at British American Drama Academy and London South Bank University.
Mojisola has built up a renowned reputation for staging inspiring, powerful stories which attract new, growing audiences and break down barriers. Recent productions have included All Our Goals and Anna Hibiscus’ Song, with plenty more in the pipeline! For more information, visit www.utopiatheatre.co.uk/about/