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.

Former Viking Chris Kluwe attacks online harassment in YA sci-fi novel ‘Otaku’
Chris Kluwe, who retired from the NFL in 2014, combines a lifelong love of science fiction and a concern about equal rights to take on gamers who use the internet to make life miserable for female gamers.
Virus fears close down France's famed Louvre Museum
The spreading coronavirus epidemic shut down France's Louvre Museum on Sunday, with workers who guard its famous trove of artworks fearful of being contaminated by the museum's flow of tourists from around the world.
Louise Erdrich's grandfather inspired her new novel, 'The Night Watchman'
Louise Erdrich's new novel, set in the 1950s, follows a Native American tribe fighting for their rights as the U.S. Congress prepares to terminate their nation-to-nation treaties and land ownership rights.
Oscar-winning documentarian celebrates 50 years of films about working people
Julia Reichert’s Oscar this month for “American Factory” is just the latest in a series of films she has made since the early 1970s about the lives of ordinary people. She will appear at two events at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis this weekend.
Navigating black manhood with mentorship, self-discovery and ‘sankofa’
For Black History Month, MPR News is featuring two coaching programs that bring together older black men with the younger generation. Both try to demonstrate the essence of a West African tradition of learning from the past.
'The Hidden Girl' is smart, but not entirely human
Ken Liu is an acclaimed author, translator and poet who's won multiple awards for his short fiction. But his new collection doesn't come together — some stories are gorgeous, while others fall flat.