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.

3 Grammy contenders share outrage at all-white category, decline nominations
The Okee Dokee Brothers, Alastair Moock and Dog on Fleas — three of five acts nominated in the best children's album category — share their equity-based rationalizations for declining the ballot.
Singer Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers dies at 78
Gerry Marsden, lead singer of the 1960s British group Gerry and the Pacemakers that had such hits as “Ferry Cross the Mersey” and the song that became the anthem of Liverpool Football Club, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” has died. He was 78.
Struggling to discuss tough topics with a kid? Here are books that might help
If you feel daunted by the responsibility of shepherding a child through difficult times, don't feel alone: "I'm afraid of those moments as a parent, too," says picture book author Matt de la Peña.
'Where are the women?': Uncovering the lost works of female Renaissance artists
A nonprofit has identified 2,000 works by women artists — art that had been gathering dust in Italy's public museums and in damp churches. It's also supported restoration of 70 works from the 16th to 20th centuries.
Ask a Bookseller: 'Gods of the Upper Air'
The book explores the work of Franz Boaz, founder of cultural anthropology, and a circle of women scientists whose work 100 years ago helped inform our notions of identity today.
Don't let the pandemic winter get you down: 9 creative ways to socialize safely
With bad pandemic news and endless social distancing, it can already feel like the longest winter ever. But keeping up nourishing bonds of human connection is possible with a little ingenuity.
U.S. Rings In New Year With Subdued Celebrations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged people find an alternative option for celebrating the holiday — with an aim to avoid large crowds and indoor gatherings.
Trio of books shows a Southeast Asia caught between world powers
Three regional experts agree there's no desire in Southeast Asia to pick Washington over Beijing. U.S. strategy should look through the lens of the region itself — not just focus on containing China.
Indigenous organizations collaborate to feed their most vulnerable
Three Indigenous groups collaborated to feed traditional meals to their most vulnerable community members over the holidays. Volunteers prepped, cooked, packaged and delivered over 400 meals on Christmas Eve. The effort comes as 1 in 8 Minnesotans face food insecurity during the pandemic.