AMARILLO — High Plains Public Radio is hosting an open house at their new studios in Arts in the Sunset (3701 Plains Blvd.) on May 2, 2025 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. The event will coincide with the art center’s First Friday Art Walk, and it will feature live music, refreshments, and studio tours. The public is encouraged to stop by and learn more about Amarillo’s local public radio station.

The event is a capstone on two years of work following HPPR’s departure from their downtown Amarillo studio located at 6th and Polk. Through the generous support of local individuals, businesses and philanthropic organizations, more than $245,000 was raised to build a new home at Arts in the Sunset. Along with their headquarters in Garden City, Kansas, HPPR is now able to serve the Texas Panhandle and High Plains community better than ever.

“The new space allows us to host live music events, in-studio performances, and community gatherings,” said Abby Killingsworth, HPPR’s Director of Development. “We’re so grateful for the response from our listeners, members, and partners as we welcome the community into our new space.”

Maintaining a presence in Amarillo also allows HPPR to continue airing the station’s flagship live show, High Plains Morning, along with other programs produced in the Texas Panhandle: Western Swing Radio

Rambler, Classical Music Amarillo, and What the Folk?

The event will take place in the Legacy Room at Arts in the Sunset, and it will feature live music from Bomb City Bluegrass at 6 pm. Guests can also enjoy refreshments from Pan-Handlers Cafe, Girasol Bakery, and Palace Coffee Company. HPPR staff will provide studio tours, as well as voice recordings for those who wish to be on air in support of public radio.

The station welcomes the presence of local journalists, as partners in Amarillo’s media landscape, to meet and celebrate the strength of regional coverage in Amarillo. Please reach out to Alex Fregger for more information at afregger@hppr.org or (806) 553-4757.

To learn more about the current state of public media funding and support HPPR, please visit “Protect My Public Media” at https://www.hppr.org/helpsafeguardpublicmedia.

About High Plains Public Radio

High Plains Public Radio was founded in 1977 for the express purpose of enriching the educational, cultural, and community life of the High Plains region. It is also dedicated to developing the self-identity of the High Plains so the region might better appreciate its common heritage and build a sustainable future.  It pursues this mission through public radio broadcasting, a medium freely accessible to nearly everyone, as well as digital web and mobile services.

HPPR began broadcasting in 1980 with a single station, KANZ-FM, serving southwest Kansas and studios in the former Pierceville, KS grade school.  Since then, HPPR has incrementally expanded its service area through local initiatives and capital campaigns.  HPPR currently operates 19 FM stations and translators serving 78 counties across a five-state region of the High Plains: Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska & Texas.
Throughout its history, HPPR has always been more than just a public radio station. It's a virtual community of individuals from across the region who share common interests in knowing more about the world and building their home communities. And it's a community that's been built over the years through the time, talents and treasure of many volunteers, contributors, listeners and staff members.