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.

Journalist Brian Goldstone talks about America's homeless problem in his new book
It used to be, if you had a job in America, you could usually afford to put a roof over your head. There’s no longer the case, says journalist Brian Goldstone in his sobering new book, “There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America.”
MN Shortlist, Sept. 19-25: Trixie Mattel at Avant Garden and more
Minnesota Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended arts events from MPR News, this week including dance from Ananya Dance Theatre, French literature and crop art at Farm Aid.
From Italy to Powderhorn, the American Porch (and PorchFest) endures
At the 2025 Venice Biennale, Minneapolis designers Ross Altheimer and Maura Rockcastle unveiled a massive porch at the U.S. Pavilion as a symbol of community and togetherness, echoing local Minnesota PorchFests like Powderhorn’s, where porches become neighborhood stages for music, food and connection.
Music and mortality meet onstage as ‘The Ruins’ premieres at the Guthrie
Musician and theatre artist George Abud premieres “The Ruins” at the Guthrie, a poetic, music-driven play exploring mortality, connection and what it means to live a full life.
ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel off air after comments made about the Charlie Kirk killing
ABC announced Wednesday that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be off the air indefinitely following comments regarding speculation swirling around the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Art Hounds: Two retrospectives and a comedic cabaret
This week, Art Hounds highlight a pair of retrospectives celebrating Minnesota artists and a name-themed musical comedy in St. Paul.
Hibbing songwriter Bob Dylan to play at Farm Aid 40 in Minneapolis
Bob Dylan, whose 1985 Live Aid remarks helped spark the creation of Farm Aid, has been announced as a surprise headliner for this weekend’s Farm Aid 40 in Minneapolis, marking both a homecoming and a historic full-circle moment.
40 years later, and Farm Aid still uses art for change  
Now in its 40th year, Farm Aid remains rooted in music, but the festival has grown to include art, education and community-driven experiences that define the event today.
Robert Redford, Oscar-winning actor, director and indie patriarch, dies at 89
Robert Redford has died at 89. The Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema died in Utah on Tuesday. His publicist didn't immediately provide a cause of death.