Westobou: We Give a Shirt
On the 5th anniversary of WGAS, we’re excited to shake things up. This September we’re featuring a limited-time release of a new design benefiting our artsy amigos at Westobou.
Westobou is Augusta’s hometown hero and heartbeat of the art scene, managing four gallery/studio spaces around town and 15 exhibitions per year. Additionally, Westobou’s artist-in-residence program and guest curator program have brought creative powerhouses to the Augusta community for more than a decade.
Westobou was born in 2008 as a pop-up festival featuring the iconic exhibit “Slow Dancing,” a breathtaking large-scale multimedia piece played at the Augusta Common, and a concert by recording artists Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt. In its early iterations, Westobou managed hundreds of concerts and presentations in a 10-day annual festival throughout the CSRA, helmed from their offices at the old ARC building in downtown Augusta. Think Spoleto but Augusta. Locals looked forward to this event by marking its yearly start with the construction of the Ferris Wheel at the old ARC building. The early days were a frenzy of art fun all around town. Comparing your schedules and getting event tickets with friends was the backbone of the season.
In those early days, the festival brought dozens of engaging, edgy acts to Augusta with each event season. Performances like the 2012 James Brown tribute given by Janelle Monáe and the 2013 “Joan” live score written and performed by Kim Gordon, formerly of Sonic Youth, brought star power to an already electric event.
Eventually, the board and staff decided to scale back the number and days of performances as it grew. Iconic annual events like The Curated Palate and WestoHUE became beloved staples of every social calendar. Westobou’s Halloween parties are legendary affairs, combining performance art with delicious meals and live entertainment.
We spoke to Matt Porter, Westobou Executive Director, about the state of the biz and our WGAS partnership.
“We’re touched by the kinship and camaraderie with the folks at Showpony and Wier / Stewart,” Porter said. “T-shirt sales will help allow Westobou to continue to present 15 annual exhibitions, be open six days a week, and continue our mission to foster introductive and transformative art experiences in Augusta.”
Porter went on to say that the current funding needs come at a time when all else is going extremely well for the organization; a robust membership base, excellent attendance at this year’s events, and coverage by nationally recognized publications like Burnaway and Art Papers.
For this new Westobou t-shirt, Leonard “Porkchop” Zimmerman created a unique design featuring a custom spray paint can with his signature whimsical elements. The shirt color, a vibrant blue, is a nod to this year’s WestoHUE tone, and the shirt’s design holds a deeply personal meaning.
“The can is a nod to the mark they’ve left on the community. That’s also why I chose the name ‘indelible’ for the rattle can layout,” said Zimmerman. “I wouldn’t be as far along as I am without Westobou. They gave me some high-profile things to do early on.”
When asked how the community can support Westobou during this time, Porter had a few distinct calls to action. If you can buy a shirt, buy a shirt. He also urges the community to join Westobou as members and advocate for the organization when possible. Westobou is also exploring a call for real estate partnerships. Currently, the organization manages four active galleries and workshop spaces at a reduced rate, available 24/7, to new and upcoming artists. Porter has a vision to bring this all under one roof to create a permanent contemporary art hub for Augusta, and a permanent home for Westobou.
“It is amazing to feel not ignored in the community when you say you have a need. So much love to all the folks over there at Wier / Stewart,” said Porter. “Plus, I’m excited to have another work shirt. Anytime I can wear a nice branded shirt at work and rep is a good time.”
We love to wear a great t-shirt to work, too, so we’ve chosen our favorite Showpony triblend shirts for this run. It’s a beloved blend, and a household favorite (officehold, if you will) since the 2020 We Give a Shirt campaign. These are our top-selling garments year over year for good reason. The shirt is exceptionally soft, comfortable, and holds up well to the million wash cycles you’ll put it through as your new favorite tee - and you don’t have to worry about it shinking or pilling because it's a winning combination of cotton, polyester, and rayon.
Like all WGAS drops, this is a true-to-size, unisex fit. We love the blue hue that Porkchop chose, but we’re also proud of the fact that this specific blend has had 20+ new colors added since 2020 to provide even more options for a good-looking shirt.
We’re thrilled to bring you this new, limited-edition design. Don’t forget that you can order for the next seven days before the drop ends on September 8th, 2025. We will place orders shortly after the drop closes and expect the t-shirts to be in your hands before the end of September.
