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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.

Ask a Bookseller: ‘Art and Fear’

Ask a Bookseller: ‘Art and Fear’

Discover the inspirational power of perseverance in artmaking with “Art and Fear,” a favorite of bookseller and amateur painter Elaine Eckert of Dickson Books.
by Emily Bright

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‘Phantom Loss’ puppet show conjures ghosts, game shows and chicken

‘Phantom Loss’ puppet show conjures ghosts, game shows and chicken

The tragicomedy follows Thuy, a young Vietnamese American girl stuck in a small Minnesota town who befriends Chicken. Together, they go on a journey through the spirit world and the real world.
by Tom Crann and Ngoc Bui

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New Minnesota music roundup: Immigrant songs by Red Thread

New Minnesota music roundup: Immigrant songs by Red Thread

Three new albums: “Immigrantke” by Red Thread, “Shadowland” by Claude de Lune and “Live from a Dive” by Michael Gay & His Dang Band
by Max Sparber

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Can the fabric of a friendship be rewoven?

Can the fabric of a friendship be rewoven?

In her new novel, “Village Weavers,” author Myriam J. A. Chancy draws on her Haitian roots to share a story about friendship, family and what can stitch us back together after we are ripped apart.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Art Hounds: Remembering Denomie

Art Hounds: Remembering Denomie

In this week’s Art Hounds: The Bakken Ensemble; “The Last Flapper” on Zelda Fitzgerald; and work by Dougie Padilla about his friendship with the late Jim Denomie.
by Emily Bright

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Arts leader returns: Mohannad Ghawanmeh to lead Public Art St. Paul

Arts leader returns: Mohannad Ghawanmeh to lead Public Art St. Paul

Mohannad Ghawanmeh, a filmmaker and cinema scholar with a deep history in Minnesota’s arts scene, has been named the new president and executive director of Public Art St. Paul.
by Alex V. Cipolle

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