Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now

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.

'The Testaments' takes us back to Gilead for a fast-paced, female-centered adventure

'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.
by Danielle Kurtzleben

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie headline 2019 Booker Prize shortlist

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.
by Colin Dwyer

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
Structural injustice is at the core of 'We, The Survivors'

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.
by Lily Meyer

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
'Just Ask!' says Sonia Sotomayor. She knows what it's like to feel different

'Just Ask!' says Sonia Sotomayor. She knows what it's like to feel different

We're all different and that's good, says the U.S. Supreme Court justice. Her new children's book about embracing diversity portrays kids of all abilities working together to create a gorgeous garden.
by Samantha Balaban

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
In 'The Ventriloquists,' the true story of a fake newspaper

In 'The Ventriloquists,' the true story of a fake newspaper

E.R. Ramzipoor's novel tells the story a group of resisters in Belgium during World War II who lampooned the Nazis by putting out a satirical edition of the newspaper Le Soir, then a Nazi mouthpiece.
by Jean Zimmerman

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
'Palestine + 100' explores contested territory, past and future

'Palestine + 100' explores contested territory, past and future

A new anthology invites Palestinian writers to imagine their homeland in 2048 — 100 years after the creation of Israel. The stories are inventive, dextrous, painful, and even sometimes playful.
by Amal El-Mohtar

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
If you love Octavia Butler, Colson Whitehead and Toni Morrison

If you love Octavia Butler, Colson Whitehead and Toni Morrison

Bookseller Nialle Sylvan says that Rivers Solomon’s novel earns comparisons to some of the biggest names in literature.
by Tracy Mumford

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!
R&B legends Tony! Toni! Toné! on why their hits are still popular

R&B legends Tony! Toni! Toné! on why their hits are still popular

R&B icons Tony! Toni! Toné! will perform Friday and Saturday nights at the Minnesota State Fair. But first, they stopped by the stage at Dan Patch Park to talk with Angela Davis and 1A host Joshua Johnson about some of their hits.
by Julie Siple and Angela Davis

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!