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.

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.
Before COVID, TB was the world's worst pathogen. It's still a 'monster' killer
It was under control. And then it wasn't. In her new book “Phantom Plague: How Tuberculosis Shaped History,” VIdya Krishnan shows how "we repeat the same disease-spreading mistakes over and over."
Grandma's garden of magical rocks is 'Where Wonder Grows'
A grandmother brings her granddaughters to her special garden, where they learn about their connection to nature and tell stories about magical rocks, seashells, crystals and meteorites.
Ask a Bookseller: 2020 captured in words and images
Donna Garban of Little City Books in Hoboken, N.J., says she knows to order multiple copies every time Jason Reynolds, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, puts out a new book.
Love, romance and comedy on Valentine’s Day
MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a romance writer and a comedian with two different takes on romance and Valentine’s Day.
New theater production doesn't shy away from taking on serious issues
Coco’s Barrio began as a live performance show that’s part old time radio and part “Saturday Night Live.” But then the pandemic turned everything upside down. Now the show is a podcast.