Arts and Culture

MPR News has you covered with news and stories about local art and culture happenings across Minnesota.

Art Hounds: Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what's exciting in local art. You can explore arts events here, or become an Art Hound today.

Art Reviews: Our arts team offers insight on the latest in theater, music, visual arts and more. We explore the breadth of creativity and innovation found throughout Minnesota, offering audiences a deeper understanding of the works and artists shaping our cultural landscape. Read more here.

Art Friend: Everyone needs an art friend. Art Friend is a new segment with our arts team. Art spaces can feel exclusive and art can be confusing, obtuse, and even boring. But, especially with the right context, everyone can be a critic. So let us be your guide- your Art Friend. Listen or read Art Friend stories here.

Our arts coverage is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

New cookbook from Minnesota support group merges grief and food
“Good Grief! What’s for Dinner?” is a collection of more than 200 recipes curated by the Grief Club of Minnesota. Annie Sperling helped put together the cookbook with her widow group at the Grief Club. She talked with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about it.
Art Hounds: The Black Woman’s Guide to Making God
Art Hounds recommend exploring divinity, capturing light, and confronting environmental change.
‘We’re still here’: A new book explores how a small-town murder led to the restoration of Indigenous land
Cherokee author Rebecca Nagle stops in Minneapolis along her book tour for her newly released “By the Fire We Carry: The Generations Long Fight for Justice on Native Land.”
‘Re/Claiming’ a space for Latina and Latinx art
A new exhibition in St. Paul looks to honor the contributions of Latina and nonbinary Latinx artists to Minnesota’s art scene.
How a catchy tune became the soundtrack to TikTok's silliest videos
The song "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" was released ten years ago and has since become the soundtrack to millions of viral videos. Its story shows how music has shaped — and been shaped by— social media platforms.
‘Intermezzo’ is Sally Rooney’s most moving novel yet
Rooney’s fourth novel is a story about learning to accept loss. And though it has its share of grief and strife, it’s happier and less disturbing than “Normal People” and “Beautiful World, Where Are You.”
Little fires everywhere: A new arts collective goes on tour to build community in rural Minnesota and beyond
On a September evening at the Turf Club in St. Paul, the new arts collective “Fire in the Village” kicked off a fall tour blending music, upcycled fashion and printmaking to foster community connections and address rural isolation.
A light-hearted murder mystery weekend turns deadly in Kate Atkinson’s cozy thriller
“Death at the Sign of the Rook” is an expansive novel that pokes fun of baroque, classic murder mysteries — but also delivers a fully satisfying, all-the-pieces-click-together ending.