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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.

In 'We Get By,' Mavis Staples keeps singing 'songs of change'

In 'We Get By,' Mavis Staples keeps singing 'songs of change'

Nearing 80, the solo artist has a new album out. Decades after she brought a gospel score to the civil rights movement with The Staple Singers, she remains hopeful in her enduring mission for change.
by Michel Martin and Dana Cronin

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'Summer of Ellen' builds lyrical, sunny suspense

'Summer of Ellen' builds lyrical, sunny suspense

Agnete Friis' new novel takes place in flashbacks, jumping between the present and a rural Danish farm during the summer of 1978 -- a seemingly idyllic time, until two people go missing.
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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'Prescription gardens' open in Rochester

Tiny gardens meant to encourage meditation are now open to the public in Rochester.
by Catharine Richert

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This 'Greatest Hits' album is real. Its artist is fiction

This 'Greatest Hits' album is real. Its artist is fiction

Laura Barnett wrote a novel about an aging singer-songwriter sizing up her life in 16 tracks. Then she approached musician Kathryn Williams, who created the book's original soundtrack.
by Scott Simon

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Sharp satire and dark humor in 'Riots I Have Known'

Sharp satire and dark humor in 'Riots I Have Known'

Ryan Chapman's debut novel opens in the middle of a prison riot as the unnamed narrator cowers in fear for his life -- which doesn't seem like a setup for comedy, but it's packed with dark laughs.
by Michael Schaub

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Music legend Bob Dylan turns 78

There'll be a birthday party on Friday afternoon at the house in Duluth where Dylan lived for his first six years.
by Cathy Wurzer

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A new sculpture in sticks takes shape in Chaska

A new sculpture in sticks takes shape in Chaska

Patrick Dougherty's medium of choice made the Landscape Arboretum the perfect venue for his work.
by Euan Kerr

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It begins with a letter in a cemetery

It begins with a letter in a cemetery

Bookseller Rayna Nielsen recommends a young adult novel that follows two teenagers caught up by letters exchanged at a gravestone.
by Tracy Mumford

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Lizzo on feminism, self-love and bringing 'hallelujah moments' to stage

Lizzo on feminism, self-love and bringing 'hallelujah moments' to stage

The flute-playing pop star celebrates self-acceptance on her latest album, Cuz I Love You. "About 10 years ago, I made the decision that I just wanted to be happy with my body," she says.
by Terry Gross

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The Improvised Life: Sam Miltich takes his message of jazz and mental health across Minn.

The Improvised Life: Sam Miltich takes his message of jazz and mental health across Minn.

Fifteen years ago, Sam Miltich was a teenager on top of the world. He taught himself how to play jazz guitar growing up in the woods outside Grand Rapids. And he got so good that at 18 he played in Europe and New York. Then, four years later, something happened that made it hard for Miltich to comprehend living, much less making a living playing jazz.
by Dan Kraker

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