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 Waiting' is an unflinching portrayal of the separations caused by war
Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's harrowing new graphic novel was inspired by her own family history — Gendry-Kim was an adult when she discovered that she had a long-lost aunt possibly trapped in North Korea.
The New York Times bestselling author of “This Tender Land” joined host Kerri Miller at the Fitzgerald Theater for the finale of this season’s Talking Volumes.
Spies on opposite sides of the Cold War unite in 'From Warsaw With Love'
Reporter John Pomfret interviewed government officials and intelligence operatives and mined declassified files in Poland to write his fascinating story of the Polish-U.S. intelligence relationship.
How sexism and homophobia sidelined the National Women's Football League
The NWFL lasted from the mid-1970s to 1988, when it shuttered and the teams broke apart. A new book, Hail Mary, explores the league's origins and the problems that brought it to an end.
For poet Sonia Sanchez — at age 87 — there's more work to be done
For over 60 years, poet and activist Sonia Sanchez has helped redefine American culture, politics and education. She is this year's winner of the Gish Prize, a $250,000 lifetime achievement honor.
Art Hounds: It’s all about the dance
Art Hounds recommend performances by Threads Dance Project, Jagged Moves and Rhythmically Speaking.
Paul McCartney knew he'd never top The Beatles — and that's just fine with him
The forthcoming documentary “Get Back” revisits The Beatles' final days together. McCartney says he took the band's breakup hard: "It was quite difficult, because I didn't know what to do at all."
Hometowns
Were you shaped by your hometown? Big or small, where we start matters to where we end up. Host Angela Davis talks with two novelists about what it means to be from somewhere and about Ken Burns’ new campaign for a national day to honor hometowns.