Augusta’s Westobou Festival is trimming back its dates for 2012.

The art, music, film and culture festival will enter its fifth year by halving the previous ten-day schedule to five.

Executive Director Molly McDowell says slimming down the artist roster and event listings is about keeping the festival financially sustainable.

“The festival has not been able to grow financially. So we also needed to think about--and the board really has been working hard this past year--to think about how we make this festival sustainable for Augusta, for the long haul.”

Westobou is funded by a five year commitment from the Porter Family Foundation.

The foundation recently extended the relationship four more years until the festival can sustain itself.

Tags: business, festival, Augusta, arts, Westobou