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.

July 31, 2019 3:54 PM

Towering Broadway director and producer Hal Prince has died

Harold Prince, a Broadway director and producer who pushed the boundaries of musical theater with such groundbreaking shows as "The Phantom of the Opera," ''Cabaret," ''Company" and "Sweeney Todd" and won a staggering 21 Tony Awards, has died. Prince was 91.

by The Associated Press

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July 31, 2019 10:00 AM

Video: Biffy, hobbledehoy, cattywumpus! Where did these words come from?

It’s not always possible to find the exact origin of our favorite words. History and language can get messy. But discussing their roots and forming hypotheses can be fascinating, and lots of fun! We sat down with etymologist Anatoly Liberman to help shed some light on a few of our favorite words.

by Sara Porter and Jiwon Choi

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July 31, 2019 9:00 AM

Idiosyncratic, dimension-hopping 'Skip' creates its own niche

Molly Mendoza's loopy new graphic novel isn't quite a young adult book, or a book for grownups, either. But it is a trippy visual experience, and Mendoza's art is gorgeous even when the story is thin.

by Etelka Lehoczky

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July 31, 2019 6:00 AM

Losing and old faith — and gaining a new one — in 'The Churchgoer'

Patrick Coleman's novel follows a former pastor, now working as a security guard, who gets caught up in a noirish adventure after one of his coworkers is murdered, but it's much more than a whodunit.

by Ilana Masad

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July 30, 2019 1:30 PM

Randy Ribay on the inspiration behind ‘Patron Saints of Nothing’

The young adult author describes the importance of crafting nuanced stories for young readers.

by Kerri Miller and Marcheta Fornoff

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July 30, 2019 12:29 PM

'It Came from Something Awful' links 4Chan and today's political discourse

If author Dale Beran is to be believed, all the world's an Internet forum. His new book offers an overview of Internet culture and explores the mindset and techniques of early Internet trolls.

by Andrew Limbong

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July 30, 2019 4:01 AM

'Idiot Wind' tells a personal tale of journeying from addiction to recovery

Even if we weren't in need of another road-trippy-addiction memoir, Peter Kaldheim's book recounts his very human efforts to swim to shore with compassion and gratitude.

by Martha Anne Toll

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July 29, 2019 6:00 AM

'Marilou is Everywhere,' and also a miracle

Sarah Elaine Smith's debut novel, about a girl from an impoverished, broken family who impersonates a missing neighbor in order to get motherly attention, is otherworldly in its beauty and power.

by Michael Schaub