Arlene Watson Email & Phone Number

Savannah, Georgia, United States

Arlene Watson launched Möbius Grey LLC in 1998, a strategic design and marketing communications firm, with the mission “endless possibilities”, to guide clients in the development of powerful visual identities. As Principal and Creative Director of Möbius Grey, Arlene provided creative services for clients in a variety of industries, including healthcare and education. In the private sector her skills as a designer, art director and account manager benefited such clients as Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Eaton, State of Ohio and Goodyear. Arlene's belief that the power of art can transform communities has been demonstrated by projects in the non-profit and Government sectors. Her social marketing, project visioning and public art work, have produced measurable success for Community Development Corporations in Cleveland, Greater Regional Transit Authority, the State of Ohio, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Kent State University and Global Center for Health Innovation. Arlene’s creative and branding experience in internal and external communications, environmental graphics, and interior branding has been awarded and published in the design industry, and continues to leave a physical impression in Cleveland. Arlene moved to Cleveland from New York after working for Meredith Corporation and Tobias Olson Design. Arlene received a BFA cum laude from Pratt Institute.

Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art is a large-scale, city-wide event presenting museum exhibitions, site-specific projects and public programs across the city and the wider Cleveland region. Arlene Watson is responsible for establishing innovative programs that articulates FRONT’s forward-facing approach that addresses the history and current realities of the city of Cleveland. Arlene's capacity includes developing and implementing audience engagement strategies, designing a diverse approach to public programs and education, connecting the exhibition and related activities to audiences at large, tracking and measurement of key outcomes, building strategic partnerships with high level stakeholders and the community, identifying and securing resources such as sponsorships and donations.

Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area

As Director of Institutional Advancement of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Cleveland, Arlene's responsibility included the design and implementation of a strategic fundraising program of over $3M annually from individuals, corporations and foundations to realize MOCA's exhibitions, education programs, special projects and events. As a member of the senior management team, reporting directly to the Executive Director, Arlene worked to identify funding priorities as well as opportunities for institutional support, program development, branding, audience development, earned income generation, budget balancing, exhibition planning and the visitor and member experiences. Arlene led the development team in the execution of their actions for cultivating and soliciting support and strategies to enhance MOCA’s stewardship program, individual engagement strategies and board governance.

Arlene worked with Vocon, a full service architecture and interior design firm to grow its Graphics Department from a two to a five person creative team to service the firm’s Branded Environments line of business. During that time Arlene led the design team on all Environmental Graphics, Signage and Wayfinding projects, working in conjunction with the interior design and architecture teams. Her most notable project during that time was the Goodyear Headquarters in Akron where she worked directly with the Executive Steering Committee, and led the design team to conceptualize and produce the full scope of placemaking and signage elements for the 640,000 sq. of new and 140,000 sq. of renovated space. Responsibilities in this and other projects included the creation of thematic strategy documents to ensure alignment of project vision, design and creative content development, established project objectives and oversight of project outcomes, established and managed budgets and other resources including management of external vendors.