Westo-WHO?

Who are we?

Westobou is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to enriching the cultural fabric of Augusta’s River Region. We provide artists with opportunities to create for our community to enjoy.

Programs

Westobou has a variety of programs to help fulfill our mission. Visit our Opportunities page to see how you can get involved.

Westobou Gallery

Westobou Gallery is a contemporary white box space on Broad Street that hosts 5 exhibitions per year focusing on emerging and experimental artists. The gallery is open six days per week and is always free for patrons and visitors. Artists are compensated fairly for their work and participation in exhibitions. Artists are selected through applications by committees as well as in-house curation by staff members.

MICRO

The MICRO gallery, a small space within Westobou Gallery, hosts 10+ exhibitions per year including works by students, local makers, Westobou Members, and special projects through an application process.

Westobou Artist-in-Residence

Each year, Westobou support one Augusta-based artist by giving them free studio space for one year at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art resulting in an exhibition at Westobou Gallery. The artist is provided with a stipend for tools, supplies and research to complete a body of work and has 24 hour access to the studio space.

the ANNEX

Westobou oversees two studio spaces behind the Old Academy of Richmond County that are rented out to artists at subsidized rates. Open studios are held throughout the year for patrons to see different artistic practices.

Guest Curator

Applications open at the beginning of the year for emerging curators to propose exhibitions at Westobou Gallery. The selected guest curator is provided with a stipend and a budget for up to four artists to participate in the exhibition. The Curator writes an essay about the show and gives a talk about their process and ideas.

Project Commissions

Westobou accepts applications for any artistic project including music, film, dance, spoken word and visual art ideas. Selected projects are showcased throughout our season of events.

SEEDS

A juried small works show during the holidays. The juror selects up to 12 artists to participate and gives a talk about their selection process. All works are under are priced at $300 or less so patrons can start or add to their art collections.

Special Events

Westobou hosts a variety of events throughout the year including:

The Curated Palette: behind the scenes look at how we curate exhibitions with a fun activity of interpreting a piece of artwork by creating charcuterie boards.
WestoBOO! Bash: An artist creates an immersive Halloween experience at Westobou Gallery with unique themes inspiring creativity for attendees.
Meal Series by Westobou: Chef and artist pairing to conceptualize an intimate meal experience for 30 people with amazing food and handcrafted takeaways.
First Fridays at Westobou: Music, art and fun every First Friday of the month including educational talks, performances and demonstrations by artists.
Westobou Annual Fundraiser: Supporting the arts with great prizes and entertainment.
Season Launch Party: Westobou Members celebrate the opening of each season with a great party featuring our Marquee art exhibition.
Season Wrap Party: A party for all celebrating the close of each season with membership sign-up prizes.

History

The Porter Fleming Foundation was created by Berry Fleming, a renowned author and painter, to administer grants and fellowships to organizations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in education, literature, art, science, history, music and culture. Westobou was a special creation of the Foundation after realizing the lack of contemporary art in Augusta’s River Region. Fun fact, the name pays homage to the Savannah River formerly named Westobou by the Westo Natives. What started out as a pop-up Festival in 2008 has evolved into a season of events and exhibitions in our year-round Gallery space on Broad Street. Our mission is to support artists and their ideas to create engaging, creative and thought-provoking artistic experiences.

Vision

Westobou’s long-term goal is to become an arts center with all programming under one roof including studio spaces for artists, performance space and multiple galleries that allow for creative and innovative exhibitions of all sizes - creating even more opportunities for artists with a greater impact for the Augusta community.

Funding + Support

In July of 2024, Westobou received its final gift from the Porter Fleming Foundation, an organization that was instrumental in the foundation and creation of Westobou. Their generous contributions have significantly helped sustain us for the last 16 years allowing us to fulfill our mission and transform into the organization we are today. Now, it is up to us to continue and grow what we have built, and we need your support more than ever!