Orlando Watson is an emerging poet, voiceover artist, and festival director from Cleveland, Ohio who has masterfully curated and managed six national festivals and nine premier arts programs between Ohio and Pennsylvania, solidifying his reputation as a leader in event production and creative consulting. As a poet, Watson has released two projects titled Everything’s Personal (2017) and Corner Stories (2021), which both cracked iTunes top #20 R&B/Soul charts, catapulting him to open for Lalah Hathaway and Chantae Cann’s respective tours in 2018. Watson has been privileged to share studios and stages with award winners such as: Terence Blanchard, Keyon Harrold, John Clayton, Bobby Sparks II, and Braxton Cook to name a few. As an entertainment executive, Watson served as the Associate Director of the Tri-C Jazz Fest in Cleveland, Ohio from 2019-2022 and currently serves as the Senior Director of Programming at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center where he manages the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival. Watson has presented a distinguished roster of Grammy Award-winning and internationally acclaimed talent, including Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Robert Glasper, Gregory Porter, Christian McBride, Bob James, Nikki Giovanni, Rapsody, PJ Morton, Mýa, Meshell N’Degeocello, Chef Eric Adjepong, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Malik Yoba, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner among many others. His ability to craft high-caliber, artistically rich experiences has attracted discerning audiences, elite institutions, and corporate partners seeking unparalleled entertainment programming.

TOPICS: Writing, Business, Art