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.

How the beloved state fair grew from livestock showcases to cornucopias of amusement
The state fair dates back to the 1800s, and its agricultural roots go back even further. Ever since, states have been putting their own spin on the annual event while staying true to tradition.
Patrick Ryan's 'Buckeye' is a sweeping drama set in a small town in Ohio
Patrick Ryan’s new novel, “Buckeye” is the perfect fall read — a sweeping, multigenerational story of two families undone by secrets in a small Ohio town.
Sinclair brings Jimmy Kimmel’s show back to its ABC-affiliated stations, ending blackout
Sinclair Broadcast Group has decided to bring Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show back to its ABC affiliate stations. This ends a dayslong TV blackout in dozens of U.S. cities.
Hollywood now has dueling open letters over the Israel film boycott
Over 1,200 Hollywood figures, among them Liev Schreiber, Mayim Bialik and Sharon Osbourne, signed a letter on Thursday rejecting a previous call to boycott Israeli film groups.
MN Shortlist, Sept. 26-Oct. 2: Ibsen at the Guthrie and more
Minnesota Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended arts events from MPR News, this week including “Jlin: Permutation of Three” at Walker Art Center and “Learning from Place: 100 Years of Mexican American Culture on St. Paul’s West Side.”
New books this week: Tales from Ian McEwan and Patricia Lockwood, and new translations
The truth doesn’t come easy in the latest works of these two household names. Meanwhile, anglophiles now have access to newly translated works by France’s Annie Ernaux and Japanese ex-pat Yoko Tawada.
The art of comedy: An event series pairs figure drawing with standup comedy 
Laugh and Draw is a quarterly Minneapolis event that blends standup comedy with figure drawing, where comedians perform while artists sketch them in a gallery setting.
Photographer Sally Mann warns of ‘new era of culture wars’ after art seizure
As she reflects on her career in a second memoir, Sally Mann warns of a "new era of culture wars" after police pulled several photographs she took of her children decades ago off the walls of a museum.