Public Gets Chance to See WUKY's New Studios During May 26 Open House
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 22, 2018) — WUKY 91.3 FM invites the University of Kentucky and Central Kentucky communities to an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at its new studios on Spurr Road in Lexington. WUKY, UK's NPR station, moved from its on-campus location to Spurr Road in March.
WUKY now has more than double the square footage in this new facility, which had been a professional recording studio and living quarters. The property was acquired by Lexington businesswoman Ann Bakhaus, who in turn, with her son Michael Russell, made a gift of the building to UK for the benefit of WUKY and UK's Opera Theatre program in the School of Music in the College of Fine Arts. Opera Theatre will share the recording studio with WUKY.
"In its day, the St. Claire Studio was one of the finest recording studios in the world," WUKY General Manager Tom Godell said. "We’ve preserved the studio, but adapted the rest of the facility for radio broadcasting. Now it’s one of the most magnificent radio facilities in the country. We’re proud to be able to show it to our listeners and friends this Saturday afternoon!"
For anyone who had visited or volunteered at WUKY when it was housed in a studio that was built in 1939 in McVey Hall on UK's campus, get ready for a shock, Godell said. He quoted former NPR Board member Mike Savage as calling the change, "unbelievable, magnificent and breathtaking."
"We hope everyone will come and join us for this special open house," Godell said. "We’ll have tours, refreshments, outdoor activities on our beautiful grounds, art and a 'Mug Stop.' Visitors will also have a chance to enter to win an Amazon Alexa."
The new studio will be adorned with artwork from artists Jeff Enge and Jonathan Clark, with pieces ranging from clay to oils to watercolors — all touching on the beauty of nature.
WUKY Membership Manager Robert Hansel also said the station's first WUKY Mug Stop is running in conjunction with the open house.
"Listeners can make a donation to WUKY and receive a one-of-a-kind mug from Tater Knob potter Sarah Culbreth," Hansel said. " Each mug is unique and created from Kentucky clay in an array of colors."
Plenty of parking will be available for guests at the new facility at 2640 Spurr Road.
