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.

'Kindred' dismantles simplistic views of Neanderthals
Rebecca Wragg Sykes describes evidence showing that as innovative tool- and fire-makers, Neanderthals adapted to changing climates, adopted symbolic cultural practices and expressed profound emotions.
Washington Post critic says 'Trump has unwittingly enabled' discussions of race
Carlos Lozada tells NPR: "It's ironic that a president with such a negative force for race relations" and women's rights has presided over a period where both groups feel more empowered to speak out.
New book examines how the 1st Amendment sits at the forefront in an election year
Right now, we have "an entire government apparatus designed to foster falsehoods," says editor Ellis Cose, who has written a new book, “The Short Life and Curious Death of Free Speech in America.”
Rare Ojibwe woven mats relocated from Isle Royale to Grand Portage
Last month, Isle Royale National Park transported five, 100-year-old hand-woven mats, made of cedar bark and sweetgrass, across Lake Superior to the Grand Portage reservation, where they will be displayed at Grand Portage National Monument. 
A new picture book reminds Black sons: You are 'every good thing'
When Derrick Barnes began writing children's books 15 years ago, he didn't see Black kids — boys in particular — depicted in positive, affirming ways. Barnes has four sons of his own and he wrote his new book — “I Am Every Good Thing” — to be empowering and affirming.
Yes, there's conflict — but no one's the bad guy in 'Memorial'
Bryan Washington's debut novel brings together an eclectic cast of characters who redefine family. He says he wanted to write about people operating from a place of love, rather than disdain or hate.
'Snapped' grounds a sparky romance in real-world experience
Alexa Martin draws on her own life for the latest in her series of football-themed romances. “Snapped” deals with some of the problems that plague the sport, but never loses sight of the love story.