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.

Photos: Minnesota theater marquees shine with lights, neon, action
In towns large and small across Minnesota, the bright, ornate marquees of historic theaters still beckon passersby to purchase tickets for a movie, concert or play. Here’s a look at some of the remaining beauties.
‘Crime of the century’ exhibit at Little Falls museum explores impacts of Lindbergh kidnapping
Public fascination with the kidnapping case of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s son has continued for nearly a century, with many books, movies, documentaries and websites devoted to conspiracy theories.
Social media is influencing how authors promote their books. Here‘s how
Social media is changing the way writers are promoting their books. Author Rebecca Makkai talks about her decision to take a break from writing the blurbs commonly seen on the backs of book jackets.
5 new books this week spotlight Joe Biden, the WNBA, rivers, migrants and autofiction
New books out this week look at everything from pressing political concerns — “Original Sin” — to perspective-altering riddles about life itself, like in “Is A River Alive?” and “The Book of Records.”
British filmmaker captures global backlash to George Floyd’s murder in new documentary
The feature-length film features both prolific cultural figures in the UK and people central to the story in Minneapolis. Director Kwabena Oppong joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition to talk about the creation of “Backlash.”
‘Stop Killing Black People’: How a Minneapolis designer branded a movement
Graphic designer and activist Terresa Hardaway created the bold “Stop Killing Black People” typeface as a protest tool during the George Floyd uprising, turning expressive, hand-drawn lettering into a widely distributed visual language of abolition that rejected commercialization and embraced mutual aid.
Minnesota journalists document importance of North American prairie in new book
“Sea of Grass: The Conquest, Ruin and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie” looks at the biological diversity of prairie and the threats to its disappearance.