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.

Kings of chaos: A review of a marathon of Shakespeare at the Guthrie
The Guthrie Theater stages a compelling series of Shakespeare’s historical plays, using a turntable set to dynamically explore the turbulent reigns of three English kings across generations.
What Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse can tell us about the public domain and remix culture
Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse have recently entered the public domain, making it possible for artists to use them freely. In the years to come they'll be followed by a parade of pop culture figures, from King Kong to Superman.
Report: Last year ended with a surge in book bans
According to PEN America, 4,349 books were banned from schools between July and December 2023, more than the entire previous school year. More than 3,000 of those bans were in Florida.
‘I chose community’: Stone Arch Bridge musician reflects on the magic of the Minneapolis landmark
Clawhammer Mike and his banjo are Stone Arch Bridge fixtures. In 2022, he played at the Stone Arch over 100 times. Last year, 75. He’s exchanged life stories with people more times than he can count. But this week, with the two-year bridge construction beginning, Clawhammer had to say his temporary goodbye. It was a tough one. 
Faith Ringgold, quilt and visual artist, dies at 93
Known best for her story quilts depicting African-American experiences and feminine life, she also created paintings, sculpture and children's books. She was 93.
Cube Critics discuss two MSPIFF documentaries, ‘No One Asked You’ and ‘The Fishing Hat Bandit’
Cube Critics discuss two MSPIFF documentaries, “No One Asked You” and “The Fishing Hat Bandit”; Plus a web- and podcast-only extra roundtable of other MSPIFF films
Is Conan O'Brien the best 'Hot Ones' guest ever? Discuss.
Fans of Hot Ones refer to those celebrities who make it through the sauces without complaint as Spice Lords. This week, Conan O'Brien became a Spice Legend.
The feminists who built America
Many of their names are unknown, but early American feminists fought hard for the freedoms that are cornerstones to democracy. This week on Big Books and Bold Ideas, historian Elizabeth Cobbs and our new series, “Big Books, Bold Americans.”