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.

Little Free Library movement celebrates 10th anniversary

Little Free Library movement celebrates 10th anniversary

From humble beginnings in Hudson, Wis., the Little Free Library movement now reaches around the world, and it's celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend.
by Marcheta Fornoff

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!
From the gridiron to multigrid algorithms on 'Mind and Matter'

From the gridiron to multigrid algorithms on 'Mind and Matter'

MIT mathematician and former Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel has a new memoir out about how he combined his two very different talents into a successful and varied career.
by Michel Martin

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!
'Red, White & Royal Blue' reigns as must-read romance

'Red, White & Royal Blue' reigns as must-read romance

Casey McQuiston's tale of a British prince who falls for the son of the U.S. president (who's a woman, by the way) is a snappy, banter-packed rom-com that's also empowering and uplifting.
by Kamrun Nesa

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!
Herman Wouk, 'The Jackie Robinson of Jewish-American fiction,' dies at 103

Herman Wouk, 'The Jackie Robinson of Jewish-American fiction,' dies at 103

Wouk was famous for writing "The Winds of War," "Marjorie Morningstar" and "The Caine Mutiny," which won a Pulitzer Prize. He also helped popularize themes that writers like Philip Roth later tackled.
by Rose Friedman

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!
Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' video is here to lasso the yeehaw agenda

Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' video is here to lasso the yeehaw agenda

Folks, the yeehaw agenda has reached its absolute apex. Chris Rock, Rico Nasty, Vince Staples, Diplo and, of course, Billy Ray Cyrus guest in the video for the smash hit.
by Joshua Bote

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!
Who knew? The marauding Vikings were also expert traders, craftsmen and farmers

Who knew? The marauding Vikings were also expert traders, craftsmen and farmers

If you picture the Scandinavian Vikings of the Middle Ages as marauding hordes raping and pillaging, you're right -- but only half right. A new exhibition in Minneapolis puts the other half on display.
by Marianne Combs

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!
Where myth, magical realism and women's bodies mix

Where myth, magical realism and women's bodies mix

"The stories are really inventive, they're often horrifying, beautifully lyrical, just different than anything I've read in a really long time," says bookseller Jen Murvin.
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!
Friendship keeps you human in 'Rules for Visiting'

Friendship keeps you human in 'Rules for Visiting'

Jessica Francis Kane's new novel follows a prickly, 40-something gardener who -- inspired by the friendless fate of Beowulf's monstrous Grendel -- decides to reconnect with four of her oldest friends.
by Ilana Masad

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!
I.M. Pei, architect of some of the world's most iconic structures, dies at 102

I.M. Pei, architect of some of the world's most iconic structures, dies at 102

During his influential career, the Pritzker-winning architect designed everything from schools to skyscrapers. Known for spare, geometric forms, Pei said the goal was to "eliminate the inessential."

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!