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.

'American Dirt' publisher cancels author tour after threats
Flatiron Books, publisher of the controversial new novel, has canceled the remainder of author Jeanine Cummins' book tour after what it called "specific threats" to both the author and booksellers.
'Election meltdown is a real possibility' in 2020 presidential race, author warns
Law professor Richard Hasen is sounding the alarm about Russian hacks, voter suppression and other threats to the 2020 election. "There's lots of ways that things could go south," he says.
Watch: Winona stars in Winona Ryder's Super Bowl ad
The actress returned to her birthplace earlier this month to film the spot, which finds her building her own website with photos of Winona — the city, not her, because that would be a little weird.
Alijai, a 21-year-old rising star in the Twin Cities music scene, died Jan. 1 from a mix of fentanyl and alcohol, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner said Tuesday. The agency ruled it an accident. A police investigation continues.
The rise of the graphic novel
Comics have gone mainstream and broadened way beyond the world of superheroes. What’s behind the trend?
'A Long Petal Of The Sea' finds love in a time of chaos
Isabel Allende's new novel follows two refugees from the Spanish Civil War, whose mock marriage as they flee to Chile gradually deepens into real love, set against a backdrop of war and upheaval.
'This Isn't New': Questions for Tochi Onyebuchi, author of 'Riot Baby'
Tochi Onyebuchi's slim, devastating novella follows a young man born amidst the chaos of the 1992 Rodney King riots — and his sister, whose terrifying magical powers can't protect him from racism.
'Processed Cheese' Is Hard To Love — But Easy To Admire
Stephen Wright's new novel is a darkly funny satire of American consumer culture, set in a Day-Glo alternate reality that's unsettlingly close to our own. It's an exhausting but unforgettable read.