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.

October 7, 2025 9:16 AM

Here are the finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards

This year's short list features novelists Rabih Alameddine and Megha Majumdar as well as five first-time nominees for nonfiction, including journalists Omar El Akkad and Julia Ioffe.

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

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October 7, 2025 9:00 AM

How The Current shapes Minnesota's music scene

For 20 years, The Current has been Minnesota’s music heartbeat — boosting local talent and introducing fresh sounds on the radio. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert and her guests pull back the curtain on the station’s sound and how it all comes together.

by Catharine Richert and Nikhil Kumaran

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October 6, 2025 12:15 PM

When the sea went strange: A Minnesota connection to the National Book Awards

Ethan Rutherford, a Minnesota-connected author, earned a National Book Award longlist spot for his surreal, environmentally charged debut novel “North Sun,” a lyrical whaling tale that blends history with myth.

by Emily Bright

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October 6, 2025 4:00 AM

Little Falls community hopes to reopen Lindbergh’s shuttered home before centennial of historic flight

Since Labor Day weekend, visitors have been able to follow a self-guided interpretive trail on the property, but the buildings are no longer open. The closure was a disappointing blow to the Little Falls community, whose identity is intertwined with the famous aviator.

by Kirsti Marohn

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October 4, 2025 3:03 PM

Here's how the fashion industry is using AI to predict the next big trend

Once the province of elite fashion editors and forecasters, the art of figuring out what's likely to fly off future racks is getting an assist from AI algorithms.

by Chloe Veltman

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October 3, 2025 11:00 AM

Talking Volumes: Patricia Lockwood's new novel is a COVID-induced fever dream

Patricia Lockwood’s new book, “Will There Ever Be Another You,” is a loosely sane account of a woman losing her mind, her body and herself after contracting COVID-19. She joined Kerri Miller in St. Paul on Sept. 25 for Talking Volumes.

by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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October 3, 2025 4:00 AM

Bemidji Symphony Orchestra premieres piece commemorating the 'Sky-Tinted Water' of Voyageurs National Park

Composer Marko Bajzer served as artist-in-residence at Voyageurs last fall and said he was inspired to write the piece by his month-long canoe trip through the park.

by Mathew Holding Eagle III

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October 3, 2025 4:00 AM

MN Shortlist, Oct. 3-9: Guillermo del Toro's 'Frankenstein' at Cine Latino and more

MN Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended arts events from MPR News, this week featuring a Bloody Mary festival, the art of Puerto Rico and its diaspora and more!

by Jacob Aloi, Anika Besst, Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber

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October 3, 2025 4:00 AM

‘Echoes’ of Nordic art and tradition across the U.S.

“Nordic Echoes — Tradition in Contemporary Art” is a major traveling exhibition showcasing how artists from the Upper Midwest are preserving and reimagining Nordic folk traditions, moving from New York’s Scandinavia House to museums across the Midwest through 2027.

by Alex V. Cipolle