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.

Put these 12 eye-opening books on your 2026 reading list
Want to learn something new in the new year? Check out these deep-dive books from 2025 — nonfiction that will lead you to fresh discoveries about big tech, true crime and the ground beneath our feet.
Minneapolis event celebrates Indigenous musicians, fashion and expanding tribal radio station
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's community radio station will host the Anishinaabe Music and Arts Celebration in Minneapolis, showcasing Native performing artists. The event also celebrates the tribal radio station's upcoming Twin Cities satellite studio. Saturday’s lineup includes musical performances and a fashion show.
The best and most surprising Big Book shows of 2025, part two
Picking the best Big Books shows of 2025 was a tall task. But Kerri Miller and producer Kelly Gordon chose their five favorites — plus one surprise — for a year-end roundup.
'Snow is a giant mirror' — an art exhibition captures the color and quiet of peak Minnesota winter
A new exhibition at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum reveals winter as a season of vivid color and quiet beauty, through the eyes of artists who venture into Minnesota’s cold to capture snow not as white, but as a mirror of light.
Remembering notable Minnesotans who died in 2025
From a Vikings legend to a National Geographic photographer and an inspiration for “A League of Their Own,” several notable Minnesotans died in 2025. Here’s a list.
Last chance New Year's events
From early-evening drops to late-night dance floors, here’s a last-chance roundup of New Year’s Eve events for people who waited just long enough.
Isiah Whitlock Jr., actor from 'The Wire,' 'Veep' and Spike Lee films, dies at 71
Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. has died at age 71. His manager confirmed he passed away Tuesday in New York after a short illness. Whitlock played the corrupt state Sen. Clay Davis on “The Wire." Whitlock went to Southwest Minnesota State University, where he played football and studied theater.