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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.

What books shaped you in high school? Here's what you said

What books shaped you in high school? Here's what you said

More than 1,100 of you wrote to tell us about the books that broadened your horizons, that you kept through every move, that inspired you to become English majors, librarians, writers and teachers.
by Beth Novey, Meghan Collins Sullivan and Andrew Limbong

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What being a mailman taught Stephen Grant about work, belonging and going the extra mile

What being a mailman taught Stephen Grant about work, belonging and going the extra mile

When Steve Grant lost his job during the pandemic, the only replacement he could find was delivering mail in his hometown. But being a letter carrier revealed things about who he was and how he fit that he never could have expected.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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MN Shortlist, Aug. 29-Sept. 4: Arts raffle for Annunciation families and more

MN Shortlist, Aug. 29-Sept. 4: Arts raffle for Annunciation families and more

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 events include: music of Thelonious Monk, an art mystery and the Duluth-Superior Pride Festival.
by Jacob Aloi, Anika Besst, Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber

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‘AI slop’ videos may be annoying, but they’re racking up views — and ad money

‘AI slop’ videos may be annoying, but they’re racking up views — and ad money

Critics say that “slop” videos made with generative AI are often repetitive or useless. But they get millions of views — and platforms are grappling with what to do about them.
by John Ruwitch

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Art Hounds: Ojibwe teachings at Tettegouche, immersive fabric at Mia and a punk rock revolution on stage

Art Hounds: Ojibwe teachings at Tettegouche, immersive fabric at Mia and a punk rock revolution on stage

Art Hounds recommend the monthly artists’ shows and the artist-in-residency work at Tettegouche State Park, “Mihrabs: Portraits of Arab American Women” and “The Mother: A Punk Rock Musical.”
by Emily Bright

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Two sisters and two llamas: The costume competition of the summer  

Two sisters and two llamas: The costume competition of the summer  

Twelve-year-old Addie Odegaard and her sister Lucy are preparing their llamas, Riot and Dozer, for the State Fair’s popular llama costume contest with inventive designs — including Riot as a bath loofah with a bubble machine and Dozer as a parrot with rainbow wings — showcasing both creativity and the strong bonds they’ve built with their animals.
by Anika Besst

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Critical DMs: Exploring the many collections featured at the State Fair

Critical DMs: Exploring the many collections featured at the State Fair

Critical DMs finds arts editor Max Sparber and senior arts reporter and critic Alex V. Cipolle exploring the Minnesota State Fair’s Collections exhibit — an eclectic, chaotic counterpoint to the more codified tradition of crop art, featuring everything from stamps and postcards to scrapbooks, mail ephemera and license plates.
by Alex V. Cipolle and Max Sparber

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Ojibwe jingle dress brings education, healing to the State Fair

Ojibwe jingle dress brings education, healing to the State Fair

Regalia made in remembrance of Indigenous people impacted by violence is on display in the State Fair’s Fine Arts Center. The jingle dress features names of missing and murdered relatives inside red handprints.
by Melissa Olson

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Library of Congress acquires only known lyrics sketch of ‘Over the Rainbow’

Library of Congress acquires only known lyrics sketch of ‘Over the Rainbow’

Scrawled in pencil on a scrap of yellow legal paper by lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, the artifact is among dozens of treasures from The Wizard of Oz donated by composer Harold Arlen's sister-in-law Rita Arlen.
by Chloe Veltman

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