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.

MN Shortlist, Sept. 5-11: Butterflies, zombies, cowboys
MN Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended events from MPR News, highlighting standout performances, exhibits and gatherings around the region. This week’s offerings include music by Rachael Kilgour, the Minneapolis Monarch Festival and more.
Crop art travels from the State Fair to the Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Minneapolis Institute of Art will showcase award-winning and notable crop art from this year’s State Fair in the exhibition “Cream of the Crop: A Minnesota Folk Art Showcase,” Sept. 6-28, highlighting the artistry, wit and cultural resonance of the seed-based works.
Fashion designer Giorgio Armani dead at 91
Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer, has died at 91, his fashion house confirmed. Armani, known for his understated elegance, missed Milan Fashion Week in June 2025 due to an undisclosed condition.
‘It speaks to the land of my ancestors’: Minnesota artist’s geometric tapestries head to New York
Minneapolis fiber artist Tia Keobounpheng, whose work explores geometry, memory and her Finnish-Sámi heritage, will debut her new series “muitit” at her first New York solo presentation in the prestigious Armory Show, Sept. 4-7.
Minnesotan joins 'Saturday Night Live' for 51st Season
St. Paul native Tommy Brennan has been announced as a new cast member for “Saturday Night Live’s” 51st season, joining four other additions amid several cast departures.
So um, why do we say 'um' so much?
Who knew two letters could spark so much conversation? This week, we're breaking down the many uses of "um" and why the word is so controversial.
New books this week track John Williams’ life, future pandemics and NASA fiction
This week’s publishing highlights are a bumper crop of biography, science and fiction — including new reads the from authors of “The Sweetness of Water,” “The God of Small Things” and “Deadliest Enemy.”
Graham Greene, a trailblazing Indigenous actor best known for ‘Dances with Wolves’, dies at 73
Graham Greene, a trailblazing Indigenous actor whose long and successful career on the big and small screen included an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Kicking Bird in “Dances with Wolves,” has died. He was 73. Greene died Monday in Stratford, Ontario, after a long battle with an unspecified illness. 
A Nigerian group attempts a 431-hour reading marathon to set a Guinness World Record
In Lagos, Nigeria, three men and two women have been reading aloud for over 431 hours to set a Guinness World Record. They're part of a campaign to promote literacy in Africa’s most populous country.