{"id":19917,"date":"2026-03-24T19:27:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T19:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/?p=19917"},"modified":"2026-03-24T19:42:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T19:42:35","slug":"wtip-north-shore-community-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/stories\/wtip-north-shore-community-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"Tune In to Togetherness: Small Town Radio Builds Culture and Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Walk through the Lake Superior breeze into the doors: You\u2019ll be greeted by Pepperoni (the studio dog-in-residence) and a closet full of vinyl records. Rooms are filled with impressive recording gear and local artwork; a digital mixer and tape player broadcast to the small community\u2014and far beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WTIP North Shore Community Radio<\/a> sits in an old canoe outfitter building in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Population: 1,500 (-ish). One of those people is Katie Belanger, the station\u2019s development director.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur mission is to connect, reflect, and build community on the North Shore,\u201d Belanger says. It\u2019s also a definitive spot for news, resources, and emergency information. \u201cWe like to see ourselves as the mouthpiece of what\u2019s happening in the community.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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\n \n\n\n\n<\/g>\n\n\n\n<\/clipPath>\n<\/defs>\n<\/svg> Photo Credit: Amy “frankie” Felegy \/ Arts Midwest<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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\n Inside WTIP are eight full-time staff members, four part-time staff members, and over 40 regular volunteers.\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n \n \n <\/figure>\n\n
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And\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0lot<\/span><\/i>\u00a0happening: Grand Marais is known as an artsy town with undeniable natural beauty.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0major\u00a0tourism\u00a0hub that\u00a0brings out creativity in\u00a0both visiting and Grand Marais\u00a0folks, who are often multi-dimensional.\u00a0Local janitors are also prolific musicians.\u00a0Your engineer neighbor also bakes or knits.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s something really special about a community that fosters art and music and outdoor activities and elevates that to a level of importance,\u201d Belanger says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WTIP is the oldest community radio station broadcasting on Minnesota\u2019s North Shore, the 150+ mile Lake Superior coastline that runs northeast from Duluth to Canada. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It was formed in 1998 by folks gathered around a kitchen table, then moved to a closet (promotion!) in an arts building attached to a local school. Now, <\/span>the station reaches Canada and across the lake to parts of Wisconsin and Michigan.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n

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\u201cThere is something about radio and a community of this size. It holds people accountable in a way that I don’t think exists in a lot of our other modern spaces . . . It forces people to be authentic in a way that’s actually refreshing because people end up being who they really are.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n KATIE BELANGER, WTIP NORTH SHORE COMMUNITY RADIO<\/cite>\n <\/blockquote>\n\n