Today’s vibrant, multidisciplinary Mosesian Center for the Arts, formerly the Arsenal Center for the Arts, is the culmination of a long-time dream and many years of hard work.  The driving force behind the effort was a group of citizens who had secured the long-term use of Building 312, an Army arsenal building in Watertown, under the 1998 redevelopment terms, for conversion into an arts center.

The Watertown Arts on the Charles incorporated as a non-profit organization to plan, raise support for, and operate an arts center that would serve Greater Boston.  Building 312 was transformed into a modern, well-equipped, multi-use facility that opened its doors in September 2005. The Arsenal’s stunning and unique architectural design now occupies 30,000 square feet of space on three floors. It houses two theaters, classrooms and workshop spaces, artist studios, gallery and exhibit space, rehearsal rooms, and informal gathering places. On July 1, 2013, The Arsenal Center for the Arts and longtime partner Watertown Children’s Theatre took a successful working relationship to the next level with a merger of the two organizations. In September of 2016, the Board of Directors and Membership Charter unanimously voted to rename the center The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts in honor of its major donor family.

The Center offers its own programming consisting of art exhibits, classes and workshops for adults and children, concerts and other staged events, plus literary and art discussions.  The Center is also available to rent for corporate meetings, events by other non-profits, performances by other theater companies, and family events such as children’s birthday parties. The Mosesian Center for the Arts is also the proud home of resident theatre company  New Repertory Theatre.

Community commitment to the Mosesian Center for the Arts was demonstrated prior to and since opening by the more than $6.5 million dollars donated to the campaign to build the Arsenal Center for the Arts.  Early establishment of a membership/donor program and member attendance at off-site programming, prior to the building’s completion, started the momentum.  Regional support came from businesses small and large, and numerous individual donors made contributions that were truly meaningful to them.  The board and our broad community have given countless hours of volunteer time and effort. The Mosesian Center for the Arts epitomizes a grass roots effort that grew to bear tangible results, demonstrating the community’s enthusiasm and the success that continued commitment can achieve.