Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

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.

Son of radicals, Zayd Ayers Dohrn details a childhood underground and on the run in new memoir

Son of radicals, Zayd Ayers Dohrn details a childhood underground and on the run in new memoir

Dohrn's parents, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, helped found the the Weather Underground. “I knew that the FBI was chasing us,” he says. His memoir is “Dangerous, Dirty, Violent, and Young.”
by Terry Gross

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Fergus Falls hosts homecoming for ‘American Idol’ Top 5 finalist Chris Tungseth

Fergus Falls hosts homecoming for ‘American Idol’ Top 5 finalist Chris Tungseth

Fergus Falls construction worker Chris Tungseth returned home to celebrate his “American Idol” achievement. He is the first Minnesotan to make it to the semifinals of the show.
by Mathew Holding Eagle III

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Duluth Dylan Fest celebrates city’s most famous native son’s 85th birthday

Duluth Dylan Fest celebrates city’s most famous native son’s 85th birthday

The week-long festival begins with a birthday party outside his childhood home in Hibbing on May 27, and concludes with a birthday bash in Duluth on May 24, where the famed songwriter was born in 1941.
by Dan Kraker

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Going to Art-A-Whirl? You can help build a sculpture of a city with over 300 pounds of clay

Going to Art-A-Whirl? You can help build a sculpture of a city with over 300 pounds of clay

Art-A-Whirl, the weekend-long art crawl May 15-17, is filled with hundreds of hands-on experiences in northeast Minneapolis. At Aldo Moroni Studios, whirlers can help fill up a mountainous city with miniature clay houses and creatures.
by Alex V. Cipolle

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
MN Shortlist May 15-21: Art-A-Whirl, myths in Winona and immersive theater in a mansion

MN Shortlist May 15-21: Art-A-Whirl, myths in Winona and immersive theater in a mansion

Here are our recommendations for what to see at one of the biggest Minneapolis art events of the year, as well as a look at theater, music, art exhibits and other events throughout the state.
by Alex V. Cipolle and Jacob Aloi

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Native American artists on how residency program helps them preserve traditional art forms

Native American artists on how residency program helps them preserve traditional art forms

During the Native American Artist-in-Residence Program at the Minnesota Historical Society, artists are financially supported and granted access to museums across the state to conduct research. Artists then create works based on their research.
by Chandra Colvin

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
New project maps 50 years of Hmong Minnesotan history

New project maps 50 years of Hmong Minnesotan history

The Hmong StoryMap Project by the Hmong Museum shares the stories behind more than 20 important historical and cultural sites. After a yearlong effort, the digital map will be unveiled Saturday.
by Nina Moini and Ngoc Bui

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Your live music guide to this year's Art-A-Whirl with The Current's Diane Miller

Your live music guide to this year's Art-A-Whirl with The Current's Diane Miller

Host of the Local Show on The Current, Diane Miller, gives her picks for this year’s Art-A-Whirl to help you navigate the stacked live music lineup taking place across Northeast Minneapolis this weekend.
by Nina Moini and Ellen Finn

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!