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.

76-year old pleads guilty to stealing 'Wizard of Oz' ruby red slippers
Terry Jon Martin, who was charged with stealing a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the film “The Wizard of Oz,” changed his plea to guilty at the federal courthouse in Duluth on Friday morning.
Kate DiCamillo tells her own tale
DiCamillo's books melt the hearts of readers with her stories of can-do kids. She mixes joy with just the right amount of melancholy. The two-time winner of the Newbery Medal just published her latest book “The Puppets of Spelhorst.”
Musician Dessa reflects on new album, live radio and Latin heritage
Multi-hyphenate talent Dessa has been busy with a new album release, radio hosting and touring. During Hispanic Heritage Month, she discussed with MPR News arts reporter Jacob Aloi her musical journey and how her Latina heritage influenced her work.
Authors with banned books talk about protecting access to stories
To mark Banned Books Week, three young adult authors whose books have been banned join MPR News host Kerri Miller to talk about the importance of keeping a diverse selection of books available in public schools and libraries nationwide.
Roots of the Dancing Debutantes: Artist Russell Sharon looks back
Now in his mid-70s, Minnesota-based artist Russell Sharon covered thousands of miles during a decades-long career. Once a figure in the New York art world, he's relatively unknown in the part of northern Minnesota where he grew up. But that could change when his exhibit “Roots: A Retrospective” opens this weekend.
The Sympathizer author's memoir is cocky and riveting — self-consciously constructed as if written for a standup audience and serving as a generous, one-stop primer for his fiction and scholarly work.
'In the North' – Minnesota’s first independent Indigenous museum opens in an 'ironic' location
The former Enbridge-occupied building in Park Rapids, Minn., where activists once protested the Line 3 pipeline, has been transformed into Giiwedinong, an independent museum highlighting Indigenous perspectives on treaty rights and environmental justice.