Westobou Festival

The Vision Brought to Life:
The Porter Fleming Foundation was created in 1963 by painter and writer Berry Fleming to honor his father, Porter Fleming. The Trustees of the Academy of Richmond County work on behalf of the Porter Fleming Foundation administering grants and fellowships to organizations and individuals who demonstrate excellence in the fields of education, literature, art, science, history, music and culture.

In 2005, the Foundation received a bequest from Shirley Fleming's estate. Ms. Fleming, an artist like her father and grandfather, was a highly regarded music critic in New York City until her death in 2005. During her career in New York, she maintained a home in and a passion for Augusta, Georgia. In 2005, the Trustees had a vision of creating a festival that would culturally enrich the Augusta's residents and visitors. There began the planning for the first Westobou Festival. These visionaries first came up with the name, Westobou.