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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.

Take a magical mystery tour with this Chinese comic artist

Take a magical mystery tour with this Chinese comic artist

"If I could put it into words, I wouldn't be drawing it," says one of the characters in Zuo Ma's surreal graphic novel “Night Bus,” a collection of stories that drives through every literary boundary.
by Thúy Đinh

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An Afghan author on losing her homeland — for the second time

An Afghan author on losing her homeland — for the second time

"It is too cruel to ask if it hurts more the first or second time a homeland is lost," says Afghan American author Nadia Hashimi, whose parents are from Kabul. "I know one never becomes numb to it."
by Nadia Hashimi

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Art Hounds hearken back to the 60s

Art Hounds hearken back to the 60s

“Summer of Love” is a live, 1960s music and light show. “The Uncertainty Principle” explores the ripple effect of the Vietnam War. Plus, the Austin Artworks Festival is back this weekend with music and art.
by Emily Bright

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State Fair vendors hope to make lemonade from COVID's lemons

State Fair vendors hope to make lemonade from COVID's lemons

The Minnesota State Fair opens its gates Thursday for the first time since 2019. Many will be glad to get back to the end-of-summer tradition, after one of the most trying years of their lifetimes.
by Tim Nelson

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In 'Dopamine Nation,' overabundance keeps us craving more

In 'Dopamine Nation,' overabundance keeps us craving more

Psychiatrist Anna Lembke's new book explores the brain's connection between pleasure and pain. It also helps explain addictions — not just to drugs and alcohol, but also to food, sex and smartphones.
by Terry Gross

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Think you know where the stories in 'Skinship' are going? Think again

Think you know where the stories in 'Skinship' are going? Think again

The eight short stories in Yoon Choi's extraordinary collection splinter out in unexpected ways, shifting focus from a single life to decades of complex family history.
by Maureen Corrigan

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Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at 80

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at 80

Watts, famous for his potent beat and unflappable style, featured on all 26 Rolling Stones studio albums and numerous live albums.
by NPR Staff

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What’s your song of the summer?

What’s your song of the summer?

Every summer has a song that defines it. Brandt Williams talked with two music journalists about what makes the perfect summer song and their picks for 2021’s song of the summer.
by Brandt Williams and Samantha Matsumoto

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