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.

Public libraries reveal their most borrowed books of 2023
Not all libraries track checkouts, and there isn't one definitive national list. But this year lots of people checked out “Lessons in Chemistry,” Prince Harry's memoir “Spare,” and Colleen Hoover's books.
How a pastor's faith survived 'Beautiful and Terrible Things'
Pastor Amy Butler was the first woman pastor to lead New York’s historic Riverside Church. But despite that — and partly because of it — her faith had to learn to survive the brutal realities of this world. Her new book, “Beautiful and Terrible Things,” is her journey of learning to live without fear in the messy middle.
A review of ‘Art’: French Seinfeld at the Guthrie
Yasmina Reza's play “Art,” performed at the Guthrie Theater, explores the complexities of middle-aged friendship through the lens of a divisive minimalist painting.
Unity and heritage: Kwanzaa in Minnesota
Celebrated actor T. Mychael Rambo leads Kwanzaa festivities in Minneapolis, highlighting the holiday's significance in African American culture and community building.
Doctors are pushing Hollywood for more realistic depictions of death and dying on TV
Clinicians who work with people at the end of life say the most common television depictions of death aren't representative of what happens in the real world. They want to flip the script.
Actors, musicians, writers and artists we lost in 2023
Giants of the arts world left us this year: We look back on the legacies of Harry Belafonte, Tina Turner, Sinéad O'Connor, Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman), Richard Roundtree, Norman Lear and more.
The 39 best books MPR News staff read this year
From Minnesota authors to BookTok recommendations, our staff has a ranging taste for their favorite read of the year. Here are the best books that members of the MPR News newsroom read in 2023.