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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.

You don't have to like astrology to love 'Written In The Stars'

You don't have to like astrology to love 'Written In The Stars'

A free-spirited astrology blogger and a straitlaced insurance actuary agree to fake a relationship — and then really fall for each other in Alexandria Bellefleur's charming queer romance.
by Denny S. Bryce

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Here's the deal, folks: A POTUS impression is harder than it looks

Here's the deal, folks: A POTUS impression is harder than it looks

As Jim Carrey works on his best Joe Biden for “Saturday Night Live,” we ask other impressionists how they've done it. Darrell Hammond says he wishes people understood how tough impressions really are.
by Eric Deggans

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Light punctures the darkness in 'One Night Two Souls Went Walking'

Light punctures the darkness in 'One Night Two Souls Went Walking'

Ellen Cooney's new novel follows an unnamed hospital chaplain on her rounds, as she ministers to patients and grapples with her own internal questions. It's a quiet, inward-looking but hopeful story.
by Michael Schaub

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Ask a Bookseller: 'A heaping helping of joy'

Ask a Bookseller: 'A heaping helping of joy'

Dionne Sims, owner of the new pop-up store Black Garnet Books in Minneapolis, recommended a book that’s been bringing her joy lately: "#Very Fat #Very Brave” by comedian Nicole Byer.
by Emily Bright

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A pandemic winter is a great time to start a new hobby

A pandemic winter is a great time to start a new hobby

Three people who have turned hobbies and crafts into careers joined host Angela Davis to talk about the benefits of indoor hobbies and how to get started if you want to try something new.
by Angela Davis and Katie Moritz

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Booksellers of color lift up diverse voices

Booksellers of color lift up diverse voices

Host Kerri Miller talks to three bookshop owners about their recommendations for building empathy through reading.
by Kerri Miller

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Can local music venues keep on rocking through the pandemic?

Can local music venues keep on rocking through the pandemic?

Across the country, music venues are closing, shuttered due to the financial pressures and social distancing requirements of the pandemic. So what’s next for Minnesota’s local music venues — including the iconic First Avenue? How have they pivoted to endure the pandemic? Guest host and MPR News reporter Brandt Williams talks with two guests with insight into the industry.
by Brandt Williams and Katie Moritz

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Former President Obama tells his story his way — and makes his case for history

Former President Obama tells his story his way — and makes his case for history

Former President Barack Obama's ascent thrilled millions but also stirred a countermovement that is still on the march. His new memoir, “A Promised Land,” covers his rise through the second year of his presidency.
by Ron Elving

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The cider-sipping, mitten-wearing guide to 2020 holiday movies

The cider-sipping, mitten-wearing guide to 2020 holiday movies

We've got the goods on a large number of movies coming to cable and streaming over the holiday season, complete with notes to help you find the ones that are right up your alley.
by Linda Holmes

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Art Hounds explores art 'Out of the Box'

Art Hounds explores art 'Out of the Box'

Art Hounds explores an interactive theater-in-your-home production for kids, an interactive “outstellation” at Modus Locus, and public art by Winona’s Creative Laureate.
by Emily Bright

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