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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.

This young chess champion is 'not scared of anything on that board'

This young chess champion is 'not scared of anything on that board'

Tani Adewumi's family fled Nigeria after being threatened by Boko Haram. They were living in a homeless shelter when Tani won the primary division at the New York State Scholastic Chess Championship.
by Elizabeth Blair

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Cancellations rise in Minnesota as coronavirus spreads

Cancellations rise in Minnesota as coronavirus spreads

Museums, city halls, the NBA season and myriad other events and facilities are being closed, postponed or canceled as the fight against the virus shifts to limiting public gatherings.
by Tim Nelson and MPR News Staff

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Too busy? Make time to 'do nothing'

Too busy? Make time to 'do nothing'

As many Americans start thinking about what a self-quarantine might look like, author Celeste Headlee has some advice: Put down your phone. Her book explains how we're "overdoing and underliving."
by David Greene

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What is it like to be a female filmmaker in Minnesota?

What is it like to be a female filmmaker in Minnesota?

Filmmakers Kelly Nathe and Melody Gilbert showed their first films at the Walker Art Center as young women in the 1990s. This weekend, they’re hosting a reunion at the Walker that will celebrate years of work by female filmmakers from around the world, “Women with Vision: Then and Now.” They shared what it’s like to be a woman in the industry, how that’s changed over time, and why they believe female filmmakers still need their own space.
by Angela Davis and Katie Moritz

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Author Louise Erdrich on ‘The Night Watchman’

Author Louise Erdrich on ‘The Night Watchman’

In the 1950s, the federal government worked to end Native American rights and treaties under a “termination policy.” Author Louise Erdrich sets her latest novel at her family’s home reservation, with a focus on this period of history. We talk with her about her latest work.
by Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

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Skier Jessie Diggins on next week’s World Cup race – and her new memoir

Skier Jessie Diggins on next week’s World Cup race – and her new memoir

Many of the world's best cross-country skiers will gear up in Minneapolis next week for the final sprint race of the World Cup season. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Olympic gold medalist and Afton native Jessie Diggins about the World Cup, and her new memoir, “Brave Enough.”
by Cathy Wurzer and MPR News Staff

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Zeppelin wins latest battle of the bands in 'Stairway' fight

Zeppelin wins latest battle of the bands in 'Stairway' fight

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco handed the major win to guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant and dealt a blow to the estate of Randy Wolfe of the band Spirit. The estate claimed that the 1971 mega-hit "Stairway to Heaven" violated the copyright of the 1968 song "Taurus."
by The Associated Press

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Thread Must-Read: ‘Parnassus on Wheels,’ ‘Ink and Bone’

Thread Must-Read: ‘Parnassus on Wheels,’ ‘Ink and Bone’

This week, we celebrate books about books by reminiscing about an early 20th century novel and looking to a dystopian future involving access to books in a suspenseful young-adult work.
by Kerri Miller

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