UVA Arts, University of Virginia

Vol 10 Summer 19 Library
Credit: Dan Addison
WTJU

Welcoming WTJU to its New Home

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WTJU Studios
(Photo: Dan Addison)

After more than 60 years of entertaining, enlightening, and engaging the UVA and surrounding communities, WTJU has decided to ease on down the road. Fear not, listeners, this vital and venerable cultural cornerstone is hardly ready to turn in its call letters – WTJU is instead moving its operations from its current perch on the second floor of Lambeth Commons to its very own freestanding studio space a few blocks away. In March, the station took over the building that previously was home to the Sneak Reviews video store, itself a longtime Charlottesville institution. The new two-story location, featuring 2,600 square feet of space, has been renovated to include an intimate live performance venue that will play host to the station’s popular concert broadcasts, and studios and offices upstairs. The move is a historic one for WTJU, which spent its first four decades largely in basements including Old Cabell Hall, Humphries dorm and Peabody Hall before literally ascending to its Lambeth Commons spot 19 years ago. The new location, in addition to its expanded and updated space offerings, will provide an easy location for guests and musicians to access, and plenty of parking for all. Most of all, according to WTJU General Manager Nathan Moore, the move allows the organization to continue to amplify what it does and the communities it reaches. “We’ll be extending the community spirit of our on-air broadcasting to in-person music experiences,” he said. “Taken as a whole, the move represents WTJU moving into its next era as a dynamic media service at the intersection of the University and surrounding community.” Any significant move like this brings with it substantial costs, Moore added, and while the initiative has received significant support from UVA Arts and other entities within the University, it will also take the support of the community. “Nurturing our Charlottesville community with music is why WTJU exists. WTJU makes Charlottesville feel like home. And this new home of ours will be a huge help in our efforts to do that.” Moore said that the station has launched a campaign to solicit this support. Founded in 1957, WTJU, located at 91.1 on the FM dial and available for streaming online at www.wtju.net, engages in non-commercial radio broadcasting, digital media, live concerts, and educational programs. The station is also home to WXTJ 100 FM, an entirely student-run station; Teej.fm, a local podcast network; and CharlottesvilleClassical.org. To learn how you can support this move, and the station’s future, visit www.wtju.net.

WTJU Studios
(Photo: Dan Addison)
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