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.

Civic responsibility after 250 years takes center stage for the U.S. Semiquincentennial celebration
A new composition questions how civic responsibility has changed in the U.S. after 250 years. Sunday at Orchestra Hall, “Sing Democracy 250” brings music and the foundation of America together.
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Brawler’ by Lauren Groff
Maire Wilson of Huxley & Hiro Booksellers in Wilmington, Del., recommends Lauren Groff’s “Brawler.”
‘Stay Alive,’ about daily life in Nazi Berlin, shows how easy it is to just go along
Historian Ian Buruma chronicles the lives of ordinary Berliners — including his own father — during World War II. “Stay Alive” is about the past, but has powerful lessons for the present.
Tayari Jones on female friendships, divergent bonds and 'Kin'
Tayari Jones thought she was writing a book about the changing face of Atlanta. Instead, her new novel, “Kin” is an ode to the transformational power of female friendship.
After safety concerns cancel a reading, 'HMong Futures' heads to premiere
After canceling a January reading over safety concerns following a federal agent shooting, Theater Mu is moving ahead with the premiere of “HMong Futures,” a play shaped by that disruption and its aftermath.
Lakota artist’s solo exhibition captures the tradition of storytelling
Danielle SeeWalker shares artworks inspired by grandmothers and elders in her solo exhibition, Uŋči Said So. The exhibition opens Friday at All My Relations Arts gallery in Minneapolis.
What will bring visitors back to the Science Museum of Minnesota?
The Science Museum of Minnesota is drawing half the number of visitors it did compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. MPR News host Angela Davis talks about how the museum is responding to the plunge in attendance and revenue.
Art Hounds: Puppet rock opera, sewing and poetry
Art Hounds recommend “Razia’s Shadow,” Twin Cities Frocktails and Bright Lights Poetry Night.