So apparently, last month when we told you that OPB's new arts & culture show, hosted by April Baer, was called State of Wonder, we were spilling the beans on a secret that wasn't quite ready to be released. (Oopsie. Don't tell secrets on Facebook!)

But now it's all official like: OPB's new arts & culture show, hosted by April Baer, will be called State of Wonder; it'll air Saturdays at noon, beginning November 2, which is also my birthday, how could that be a coincidence?

They've got a few teasers up on Soundclound—the samples are all over the place, and I mean that in the best way possible:

In that clip alone, the show talks about the current state of the arts tax, goes into a classroom to explore how the arts help children learn, visits an Andy Warhol exhibit at a tribal museum in Pendleton, and teases a story about "Star Wars in verse." Other stories will hit on video games, fashion, music, and more. Arts coverage often makes distinctions between high and low culture that I don't think accurately reflects how people—particularly younger people—participate in culture; I like seeing coverage that embrace "low-culture" stuff like pop music and games alongside more traditional fancy-person arts like theater and opera. And given the gigantic axe that the Oregonian recently took to their arts coverage (a casualty of which was Baer's husband Ryan White, the O's former pop music critic, oddly), this could be a great addition to the region's arts coverage. I'm certainly looking forward to it.

Press release after the jump.

OPB’s New Arts & Culture Radio Program “State of Wonder” to Debut November 2

PORTLAND, Ore. – October 1, 2013 – OPB today announced that its new arts and culture radio program, State of Wonder, will make its debut on OPB Radio November 2 at noon. The weekly program can be heard every Saturday at noon and can be streamed online from opb.org or on mobile devices with the OPB News app.

A magazine-style show, State of Wonder will feature interviews and reporting on the latest in visual arts, theater, music, literature, culture and more. It will consist of original stories and will also largely draw from content within OPB’s robust arts and culture portfolio including Oregon Art Beat, OPB News,Oregon Experience, KMHD jazz radio and opbmusic. Serving as the hub of OPB arts and culture content, State of Wonder will take the best stories from these OPB properties to shed light on what is happening within the local arts community and how it connects to the greater region, nation and world.

State of Wonder is produced and hosted by April Baer, a seasoned reporter and producer who has been with OPB since 2004. Joining her will be contributing producer Ifanyi Bell, who has worked on a variety of arts and culture stories for OPB as a digital producer for nearly three years.

“We interpret ‘State of Wonder’ as the moment when you can't tear yourself away. Maybe it's the book that kept you up late, the exhibition that left you speechless, the record that wormed its way into your head or the game you couldn't put down, said April Baer, OPB. “There are plenty of algorithms out there that can steer you toward something new. But we wanted to make room for stories that also tell you how artists and creatives are getting their work in front of you.”

Baer and Bell, along with other OPB arts and culture reporters, will serve as curators of premium arts and culture stories each week for State of Wonder. Moving beyond traditional arts event calendar listings, they will bring to life the week's show-stopping stories, ideas, and must-see happenings. They will have frank conversations about the economic, social and political currents shaping the creative economy. Equally important, they will showcase what is being created in local communities and how individuals are digesting these creations.

While the show itself will have a playful, lighthearted and sometimes irreverent feel, State of Wonder will be extremely pointed, curious and informative.

In advance of its debut, State of Wonder has launched both a new Facebook fan page and Twitter page where listeners and followers can check in on what will be discussed on upcoming shows, learn about local artists and creators, see upcoming events and find out more about what’s happening in the arts community.

Beginning in October, State of Wonder will be posting on its Facebook page audio segments from a variety of pilot shows previously recorded. Guests from these pilot episodes represent diverse segments from the arts and culture world—music, theater, dance, literary arts, gaming, performing arts and more.

State of Wonder debuts November 2 at noon on OPB Radio. Like all OPB broadcasts, the program can be streamed anytime on opb.org and mobile users can download the latest episodes on demand using the OPB News app.

State of Wonder is made possible by a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, which was awarded earlier this year, along with support from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund and the Jackson Foundation. Other supporters of arts and culture programming at OPB include the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, the Robert D. and Marcia H. Randall Charitable Trust, and the Oregon Arts Commission.