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.

Oprah Winfrey launching wellness tour in 2020; St. Paul stop included
Oprah Winfrey’s nine-city tour will include a stop in St. Paul. At each stop, Winfrey will talk about her wellness journey with attendees and help develop their 2020 action plan. She will also share the latest in wellness research and interactive workbook exercises.
'Fashionopolis' tells us why we should care about clothes
Fashion journalist Dana Thomas' book is a snappy, clear-minded attack on the fashion industry's rampant labor and environmental abuses — and also offers a path forward for consumers and the world.
'The Grammarians' diagrams the push and pull of sisterhood
Cathleen Schine's new novel follows redheaded twin sisters whose obsessive love of language brings them close as children — and begins to drive them apart as increasingly competitive adults.
For many authors, celebrity book clubs are a ticket to success
Booksellers often talk about discoverability — the ability to help readers find books publishers want them to buy. And increasingly, celebrity book clubs are a way to get books into readers' hands.
'The Testaments' takes us back to Gilead for a fast-paced, female-centered adventure
Margaret Atwood's long-awaited sequel to The Handmaid's Tale brings readers new voices (and one familiar one) and a whole new view of Gilead, the dystopian theocracy that was once the United States.
Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie headline 2019 Booker Prize shortlist
Atwood made the list for her sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, and Rushdie for his reimagining of Don Quixote. Chigozie Obioma, Elif Shafak, Lucy Ellmann and Bernardine Evaristo round out the finalists.
Structural injustice is at the core of 'We, The Survivors'
Tash Aw's beautifully written new novel focuses on class issues in contemporary Malaysia, where his compelling protagonist is struggling to lead a quiet life after a long-ago murder conviction.