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.

Art Hounds: Minnesota's Cultural Centre of Bird Island brings art to rural areas
Bradley Donner's exhibit “Wild Art,” features paintings of wildlife. Singer/songwriter Dan Rodriguez performs in Excelsior. Artist Sadie Ward's exhibition, “Midwest Women,” uses bras in portraits of famous women.
Inside a Twin Cities couple’s ‘Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock Love Story’
Two local artists — author Lynette Reini-Grandell and musician Venus de Mars — share their story of transitioning, resilience, and advocacy, now captured in a new memoir, “Wild Things: A Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock Love Story,” out now from Minnesota Historical Society Press.
Klaus Teuber, Catan board game creator, dies at 70
Teuber created the hugely popular game in which players compete to build settlements on a fictional island. Since its 1995 debut, it has sold tens of millions of copies in more than 40 languages.
Future of Us: When their theater closed, these comedians found an audience in each other
The pandemic forced the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater to temporarily close its doors. But performing online opened the door for new approaches to comedy – and new places to find validation.
Joe Rainey's avant-garde powwow strikes a chord in the Midwest
Joe Rainey creates a unique fusion of powwow and experimental electronic music. He is from south Minneapolis and is a citizen of the Red Lake Nation. Rainey talked with MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer about his debut album, which has gotten quite the buzz both in the Midwest and nationally.
Poetry Out Loud winner Stella Wright reads her favorite poems
Stella and other students in the chose a collection of poems to recite and were judged on their stage presence and interpretation. Stella Wright is passionate about bringing other people’s poetry to life. She also writes poetry of her own. She’s a senior at Robbinsdale High School and joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk all things poetry.
Hamline president caught up in Muslim art controversy to retire
Fayneese Miller will leave her post effective June 30, 2024, the school said Monday. Miller faced widespread criticism over how she handled a controversy involving an image of the Prophet Muhammad shown in an art history class.