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.

Madonna was back on top of the charts 30 years ago this week with her most controversial song to that point in her career. "Like a Prayer" was a mashup of religion and sexuality.
'Our Man' provides an inside look at the life of Richard Holbrooke
Impeccably sourced, George Packer's energetic prose carries the reader through the main acts of the man's diplomatic life -- but leaves questions about his motivations for turning to Wall Street.
'Furious Hours' tells the tale of Harper Lee and her unfinished work
Writer Casey Cep's book delivers a gripping, incredibly well-written portrait not only of Harper Lee, but also of mid-20th century Alabama -- and a still-unanswered set of crimes.
'The Pioneers' dives deep into lives of Northwest Territory settlers
Like David McCullough's other books, this one succeeds because of the author's strength as a storyteller; it reads like a novel and is packed with information drawn from painstaking research.
'No Visible Bruises' upends stereotypes of abuse, sheds light on domestic violence
An average of four women are killed by their partners every day in America. Crisis center CEO Suzanne Dubus and writer Rachel Louise Snyder talk about how to help women leave abusive relationships.
In 'Rough Magic,' a young woman competes in the Mongol Derby
The real drama in Lara Prior-Palmer's memoir is the interplay of power and powerlessness; she is at once dominant and entirely at the mercy of the horse, the weather, the landscape and the reader.