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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.

Underfunded and overworked, Secret Service fears they're 'relying on luck'

Carol Leonnig spoke to a number of Secret Service agents for her new book, “Zero Fail.” "They strongly believed that it was a matter of time before a president was shot on their watch," she says.
by Dave Davies

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Engaging with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: A reading list

Engaging with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: A reading list

Over the past year, stories surrounding Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been full of violence and grief — here are some reading recommendations that'll take you beyond just suffering.
by Janet W. Lee and Summer Thomad

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'The Plot' works as literary satire, but its mystery fizzles

'The Plot' works as literary satire, but its mystery fizzles

Jean Hanff Korelitz's tale of dirty deeds in the world of letters skewers pompous male authors with sly humor — but her approach to the central mystery might have you guessing the ending too soon.
by Bethanne Patrick

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A boy and his grandfather visit home 'On the Trapline'

A boy and his grandfather visit home 'On the Trapline'

In “On the Trapline,” a little boy and his Moshom — which means grandfather in the Swampy Cree language — travel north to visit the trapline where, many years ago, the grandfather grew up living off the land.
by Samantha Balaban

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Ask a bookseller recommends very short stories — all about ghosts

Ask a bookseller recommends very short stories — all about ghosts

Lia Lent of WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, Ark., recommended “The Ghost Variations,” a flash fiction collection by Kevin Brockmeier. All the stories involve ghosts in some way, but they range from scary to funny, charming to thought-provoking. And they’re short.
by Emily Bright

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In 'Sorrowland,' the story gets lost in the forest

In 'Sorrowland,' the story gets lost in the forest

Rivers Solomon's new novel — a gothic thriller about a woman escaping a cult for a wild life in the forest — relies too much on atmospherics, neglecting the basic building blocks of story.
by Danny Lore

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Author Michael Lewis on ‘The Premonition’

Author Michael Lewis on ‘The Premonition’

Michael Lewis, the author of “The Big Short” and “Moneyball,” has a new book out called “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story.” He spoke with MPR News about how it came together.
by Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

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National Gallery of Art rebrands to emphasize the 'National' in its name

National Gallery of Art rebrands to emphasize the 'National' in its name

The federally funded museum has been accused of "institutional misconduct" including racism and sexual harassment. A petition claimed some employees call it "the last plantation on the National Mall."
by Elizabeth Blair

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Reality TV inspired this poetic look at people and the things they hoard

Reality TV inspired this poetic look at people and the things they hoard

In her latest book of poems, artist Kate Durbin looks at modern consumerism and the way people process trauma and loss through the objects they hoard. Durbin was inspired by the A&E show “Hoarders.”
by Jeevika Verma

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