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.

A high school spoken-word club changed students' lives. Now, you can read their poems
Poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Franny Choi, Dan "Sully" Sullivan, and club founder Peter Kahn have curated a new anthology celebrating the legacy of a Chicago-area high school's spoken word club.
Art Hounds celebrate Black history in image, story and song
St. Joan of Arc church marks 75 years of south Minneapolis life with a Black History Month concert called “Oh Let Us Build This Place.” A. Drew Hammond’s careful collages respond to historical and current events. The Cedar Commissions debuts new works of wide-ranging variety.
New music, upcoming concerts and the popularity of old songs
MPR News host Angela Davis discusses the popularity of old music and what that means for the music industry with music journalist David Menconi. And she talks with The Current’s program director Jim McGuinn about what local artists he’s listening to and what concerts and events are coming up in the Twin Cities.
'The Violin Conspiracy' is a musical who-done-it with deep notes
When a Stradivarius is stolen just as the Black violinist who owns it steps into the classical spotlight, Ray McMillian must search both inward and outward to find the source of his talent.
Ivan Reitman, the influential filmmaker and producer behind many of the most beloved comedies of the late 20th century, from “Animal House” to “Ghostbusters,” has died. He was 75.
Why some still believe the flat Earth conspiracy
The global pandemic launched a number of conspiracy theories, like the Bill Gates microchips and the cabal that created the vaccines for world domination. But it also resurrected a belief among some that the Earth is flat. Kerri Miller brings you a story of a flat-earther who tried to prove a flat planet.
Eminem takes a knee during the Super Bowl halftime show
The rapper took a knee for about 50 seconds during the star-studded halftime performance. It came during a set from some of hip-hop's biggest stars.