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.

Olivia Rodrigo wants you to decide what her songs are about
On “Guts,” the 20-year-old pop phenom is a little louder and funnier than the teenager on her debut — and even more fascinated with what the best songwriters leave out of the picture.
The dystopian suspense 'Land of Milk and Honey' satisfies all manner of appetites
Set in the near future, C Pam Zhang's atmospheric novel centers on a chef who takes a job at a tech entrepreneur's isolated compound after smog kills most of Earth's plant and animal species.
Minneapolis gallery selling first Bob Ross painting from PBS show for $9.85 million
Bob Ross’ first piece from the first episode of the PBS program “The Joy of Painting” 40 years ago is up for sale at the Minneapolis gallery Modern Artifact — for $9.85 million.
 Eleanor Savage on how artists create social change  
Can artists create social change? MPR News host Angela Davis talks about what the arts bring to our community with Eleanor Savage, the new president of the Jerome Foundation.
David McCallum, star of TV series 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' and 'NCIS,' dies at 90
The Scottish-born actor's career included roles on stage and in movies, but the 1960s spy series made him a household name and his role as a quirky pathologist 40 years later brought him fame again.
Ask a Bookseller: 'Saints of the Household'
Mary Taris of Strive Publishing and Bookstore in Minneapolis loved the intimate look at family dynamics in Ari Tison's novel “Saints of the Household.”
Michael Harriot's 'Black AF History' could hardly come at a better time
This engaging, well-researched, and frequently laugh-out-loud funny history places the Black experience at center stage with stories that should have already been part of our collective memory.
McKnight prize recognizes Pangea's Dipankar Mukherjee
Theater maker and artistic director of Pangea World Theater, Dipankar Mukherjee of Minneapolis, has been named the 2023 Distinguished Artist Award recipient by the McKnight Foundation.
Dance as Archive — a new exhibition honors a north Minneapolis dance school
Artist and curator Za’Nia Coleman presents an archival exhibition at the Public Functionary gallery in northeast Minneapolis, celebrating the history and community impact of the Hollywood Studio of Dance in north Minneapolis.