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.

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.
This Somali Minnesotan is making his first international feature film
“Barni” was shot in Djibouti and tells the story of three teenagers in rural Somalia looking for a lost girl, featuring a cast and crew from all around the world.
Arthur Sze named 25th U.S. poet laureate
Sze is a poet with a lot of acclaim — he's won the National Book Award, was a Guggenheim fellow and was a finalist for the Pulitzer. He aims to promote interest in translated poetry in his new role.
Minnesota composer finds insects make bee-autiful music
When a scientist friend suggested Doug Harbin listen in on the noises of bees and butterflies for inspiration, the Moorhead composer couldn’t resist.