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.

State Fair Rejects: Art that didn’t make the Fine Arts Competition
After hundreds of artists were rejected from Minnesota's prestigious State Fair Fine Arts Competition, two Twin Cities galleries are hosting popular "reject shows" featuring the overlooked works, celebrating artistic resilience and sparking public interest and conversation.
Minnesota author takes readers on scenic journey of North Shore in new book
Retired professor Arnold Alanen has researched and written an extensive history of the buildings along Highway 61 and the stories of the people who shaped the North Shore. He joined Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer to give a glimpse into his new book, “The Scenic Route.”
YouTubers 'Squirmy and Grubs' confront misconceptions by sharing stories of interabled couples
A Minnesota couple with a wildly popular social media following are out with a new book about relationships — specifically, relationships like theirs where one person has a disability and the other person does not. It’s called “Interabled.”
How a public library’s summer game took over a Michigan city
Summer in Ann Arbor, Mich., means thousands of people hunting for hidden codes around the city and reading books to earn points. It’s part of a popular game organized by the public library.
Popular 1980s actor Loni Anderson of the hit TV series 'WKRP in Cincinnati' has died
Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist Jennifer on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” has died. It was just days before her 80th birthday. Her longtime publicist says Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness. 
A taste of the Fringe Festival: Four shows
With more than 100 productions scattered across the city, the Minnesota Fringe Festival is too sprawling to capture in a single take. From a reanimated insult comic to a Shakespeare lottery, here’s a glimpse of what this year’s Fringe has to offer.