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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.

Photographer explores Asian American identity in 'Where We're Really From'

Photographer explores Asian American identity in 'Where We're Really From'

Photographer Eric Lee finds his own childhood reflected in his multimedia project, "Where We're Really From." It explores growing up Asian American, through two young brothers, Henry and Hayle Pham.
by Kisha Ravi

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Ask a Bookseller: 'Heaven, My Home'

Ask a Bookseller: 'Heaven, My Home'

Amber Collins, owner of Soul Book Nook in Waterloo, Iowa, recommends a bit of crime fiction, “Heaven, My Home,” a Highway 59 novel by Attica Locke. 
by Emily Bright

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ChangeMakers: Sarah Agaton Howes, preserving culture through craft

ChangeMakers: Sarah Agaton Howes, preserving culture through craft

Sarah Agaton Howes, 44, is an artist whose designs are rooted in traditional Ojibwe floral beadwork designs. She is the founder of Heart Berry, an online store featuring her original artwork. Agaton Howes says she’s inspired to make art because she views cultural art as a gift.
by Jaida Grey Eagle

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ChangeMakers: Leya Hale, self-discovery and reclaiming the Native narrative

ChangeMakers: Leya Hale, self-discovery and reclaiming the Native narrative

Leya Hale learned how to be a storyteller by watching her dad share stories about their Native communities at cultural events back home. She grew up in the Los Angeles area and moved to St. Paul by way of South Dakota. Her journey has been one of self-discovery and reclaiming her narrative, something she says is necessary in order to elevate Indigenous stories.
by Kathryn Styer Martinez

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Chef David Chang on depression, being a dad and the burden of 'authenticity'

Chef David Chang on depression, being a dad and the burden of 'authenticity'

The Momofuku chef says COVID-19 has introduced "seismic" changes to his industry. "We're doing anything and everything to to stay afloat," he says. Chang's new memoir is “Eat a Peach.”
by Terry Gross

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ChangeMakers: Autumn Dillie, combating homelessness with culture and care

ChangeMakers: Autumn Dillie, combating homelessness with culture and care

Autumn Dillie, 31, is a street outreach worker for the American Indian Community Development Corporation. She provides Native Americans experiencing homelessness with culturally specific services, which Dillie says is key to long-term stability.
by Christine T. Nguyen

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‘Work Like a Boss’ with advice from a boss who works

‘Work Like a Boss’ with advice from a boss who works

Nancy Lyons pulls no punches in her book about leadership — which was written before the pandemic. Can the workplace still function — without the place?
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Nikki Giovanni on ‘Make Me Rain’

Nikki Giovanni on ‘Make Me Rain’

Award-winning poet Nikki Giovanni shares the inspiration behind her latest collection of poetry titled “Make Me Rain.”
by Kerri Miller

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In the Poppy War series, R.F. Kuang asks: 'What if Mao was a teenage girl?'

In the Poppy War series, R.F. Kuang asks: 'What if Mao was a teenage girl?'

The third volume in Kuang's Poppy War series is out now. She grounded the story in history, both her own and China's; it follows a passionate, ruthless young woman who becomes a military leader.
by Alan Yu

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