Contrary to popular belief, art does not happen in a vacuum. While the image of the tortured artist struggling solo with one creative conundrum or another is indeed romantic, it’s not altogether true. Creativity isn’t a bottomless well that refills itself without effort. It’s a bucket—and keeping that bucket watertight and full takes work.
It also takes community.
Ideas may stem from the world around us, but it’s through discussion and exploration that creators discover fresh perspectives. A rose by any other name may still be a rose, but there’s value in discovering that new name—the one that still engages, illuminates, or entertains. We need spaces to gather and to experience. Whether in a gallery, concert hall, or rehearsal room, working on those buckets together is what makes a creative community vibrant, healthy, and productive.
Which brings us to Westobou.
Over the years, Westobou has meant many things to many people. Its distinctive five-spotlight logo has been associated with high-profile performances by the likes of Kevin Hart and Janelle Monáe, as well as with intimate exhibitions focused on local and emerging talent. It has been a festival, a gallery, a movement.
It has never been boring.
But now, Westobou faces a significant challenge. For most of its existence, it has been financially supported by the Porter Fleming Foundation—a helping hand that lasted longer than expected and allowed Westobou to become a vital part of Augusta’s creative community. But all things are finite, and the Foundation has chosen to invest in other creative endeavors. There are more buckets to be built.
That leaves Westobou in a bit of a fundraising scramble. To continue offering Augusta the kind of creative environment that has become its hallmark, Westobou needs the support of the very community that has long enjoyed the fruits of its labor.
To learn more about Westobou, its needs, and how you can help, visit its support page. It’s important not only to the ‘Bou, but to everyone who values having creative buckets in the community we call home.
Flame on,
CANDL