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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.

'The Wonders' portrays the struggles of working women

'The Wonders' portrays the struggles of working women

Elena Medel's novel follows two women, separated in time but facing similar class and gender dynamics. It particularly explores the challenges of motherhood.
by Jeevika Verma

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Snow snake: The winter sport lives on, 500 years later

Snow snake has long history with Ojibwe, Ho-Chunk, Oneida and other northern tribal nations.

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From the archives: Tayari Jones on 'An American Marriage'

From the archives: Tayari Jones on 'An American Marriage'

Tayari Jones’ 2018 novel, “An American Marriage,” is filled with conflict around questions of memory, loyalty, race, fatherhood, ambition and justice. We’re revisiting Kerri Miller’s conversation with Jones from February 2018.
by Kerri Miller

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Art to evoke a winter’s night — or a warming globe

Art to evoke a winter’s night — or a warming globe

This week’s Art Hounds recommend “Thermal” a dance, audio and visual art installation at the American Swedish Institute; Open Eye Theatre's “Once Upon a Winter’s Night” with puppets and live music; and “The Dragon Who Liked to Spit Fire” at St. Louis Park’s Sabes Jewish Community Center, bringing a classic picture book to the musical stage.
by Emily Bright

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The legacy of Jim Denomie and the premiere of MPLSART's 2021 Sketchbook Project

Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer honors the legacy of renowned visual artist, Jim Denomie. And as the pandemic continues, a new book shows the perspective of local artists during another challenging year.
by Cathy Wurzer, Simone Cazares and Melissa Townsend

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She sees life through the lens of books in 'Checkout 19'

She sees life through the lens of books in 'Checkout 19'

The protagonist of Clare-Louise Bennett's novel is a determinedly unfixed and unrooted person who marks time through which writers she has read.
by Lily Meyer

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