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.

High school student explores her Ojibwe identity and culture through fashion
A fashion show featuring Native students was held in northern Minnesota at Fortune Bay Resort Casino at the end of March. Adrionna Otis walked the runway for the first time, showcasing her beaded earrings and ribbon skirt she made. For Otis, creating wearable items helps her feel more connected to her Native identity and culture.
MSPIFF opens with Maria Bamford documentary and a wide-ranging slate of global films
MSPIFF combines local premieres and international films with panels and filmmaker conversations to connect Twin Cities audiences to both regional storytelling and the wider film industry.
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Crow Talk’ by Eileen Garvin
Charlotte Glover of Parnassus Books and Gifts in Ketchikan, Alaska, recommends “Crow Talk” by Eileen Garvin.
MN Shortlist, April 3–9: Artists rethink how stories are carried
Artists across Minnesota use form itself — from ceramics and printmaking to captions and repertory film — to reinterpret history, place and collective experience as something active rather than fixed.
He's the voice of romantasy audiobooks’ biggest heartthrobs. He’s never been busier
From Rhysand in “A Court of Thorns and Roses” to Kingfisher in "Fae and Alchemy," Anthony Palmini is a voiceover star for romantasy’s bestsellers — a book genre that continues to explode.
6 books named finalists for the 2026 International Booker Prize
The shortlisted titles include novels and novellas from authors and translators spanning four continents, with stories that range from Japanese-controlled 1930s Taiwan to the streets of Tehran in 1979.
Daisy Hernandez on the many layers of 'Citizenship'
Americans have been arguing about what it means to aspire to and possess U.S. citizenship almost from the beginning. A new book from professor Daisy Hernandez argues, through a personal and historical lens, that how we define this basic right says a lot about how we view race, class and the soul of this country.
Art Hounds: A musical comedy, a science pioneer on stage and a legacy in quilt
From New Ulm to Minneapolis, this week’s Art Hounds recommendations highlight a quilt exhibition honoring Mary Hartten, a rare staging of “Grumpy Old Men,” and a new play about Ada Lovelace.