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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.

Art Hounds: Spaces for beauty and joy

Art Hounds: Spaces for beauty and joy

Bold colors liven landscapes of a St. Paul painter, meditations on why art matters and a livestream concert with a folk singer who spent time in the open mic scene in western Minnesota.
by Emily Bright

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Former DHS official says he wrote 'Anonymous' Trump critique

Former DHS official says he wrote 'Anonymous' Trump critique

 A former Trump administration official who penned a scathing anti-Trump op-ed and book under the pen name “Anonymous” revealed himself Wednesday as a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security.
by The Associated Press

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The 'Rainflower Project' helps people talk through tragedy

The 'Rainflower Project' helps people talk through tragedy

A huge collection of individually made ceramic flowers lights up a suburban Twin Cities yard with its beauty. However, the “Rainflower Project” also serves as a way to spur conversations about mental health and suicide.
by Myah Christenson

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Echoes of today's unrest run through 'The Cold Millions'

Echoes of today's unrest run through 'The Cold Millions'

Jess Walter's new novel an adventure tale based on actual events in the early days of the last century's labor movement — which was much wilder and bloodier than most people remember.
by Ari Shapiro

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Biography traces political mistakes and personal scars that shaped Joe Biden

Biography traces political mistakes and personal scars that shaped Joe Biden

The New Yorker's Evan Osnos writes about the candidate's enduring quest to become president. He says Joe Biden has a different mindset today than he once had: "He's a man who is at peace."
by Terry Gross

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Diane di Prima, beat poet and activist, dead at 86

Diane di Prima, beat poet and activist, dead at 86

Di Prima wrote over 40 books of poetry and memoir, including her collection the radical and political “Revolutionary Letters.”
by Andrew Limbong

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'Kindred' dismantles simplistic views of Neanderthals

'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.
by Barbara J. King

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Washington Post critic says 'Trump has unwittingly enabled' discussions of race

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.
by Steve Inskeep

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