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.

Q&A: With ‘Chunkadelic,’ Nur-D doubles down on joy and resistance
Minnesota rapper Nur-D discusses his new album “Chunkadelic,” a genre-blending, deeply personal project born from a Reddit insult, exploring joy, resistance and staying true to himself in a conformist industry.
Flagbearer: Minnesota Iranian artist wins national visual arts prize
Minnesota-based Iranian artist Ziba Rajabi has won the inaugural $20,000 DAG Prize for Visual Arts to create “Kotál,” a large-scale fabric installation rooted in Persian mourning rituals that honors women who died pursuing freedom and continues her exploration of grief, memory and cultural displacement.
Billy Joel says he's 'OK' and not 'deathly ill' after receiving brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel is doing much better, the “Piano Man” singer wants fans to know. In May, Joel canceled all upcoming concerts across North America and England after being diagnosed with fluid buildup in his brain that has affected his “hearing, vision and balance.”
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, 'Cosby Show' actor, dies at 54 in Costa Rica drowning
Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died at 54. He was known for playing Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show.” Costa Rican authorities report he drowned Sunday afternoon at Playa Cocles on the Caribbean coast.