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.

Suspenseful 'Water Cure' dips into 2019's dystopian zeitgeist
Sophie Mackintosh's debut novel centers on four women living in a decrepit hotel on an isolated island. Critic Maureen Corrigan says the book is 'everything this age seems to be demanding.'
Dom Flemons presents a new image of the American cowboy
The singer-songwriter's latest album, "Black Cowboys," chronicles the role played by African-Americans in settling the West after the Civil War. The album has been nominated for a Grammy.
Freed from copyright, these classic works are yours to adapt
For the first time in 20 years, a large body of films, music, and books has entered the public domain. That means they can be reworked by new creators in conversation with the originals.
'Amsterdam Noir' finds its darkness inside us
Akashic Books' Noir series continues with a visit to Amsterdam -- and finding the shadowy side of a peaceful city where crime is low proves a challenge for editors Rene Appel and Josh Pachter.
Freed from copyright, these classic works are yours to adapt
For the first time in 20 years, a large body of films, music, and books has entered the public domain. That means they can be reworked by new creators in conversation with the originals.
A new novel makes the 'Sugar Run' out of jail and back to West Virginia
Mesha Maren's debut book follows a queer woman trying to restart her life and return to rural Appalachia. For the author, it's a place sometimes 'difficult to love,' but loved with 'extra fierceness.'
The spirit tells the story in 'Orchestra of Minorities'
Chigozie Obioma's latest novel is a love story, a story of exile, a mix of classical tragedy and Igbo folklore, narrated by a chi -- a guardian spirit that refers to Obioma's protagonist as its host.
How to dial 911 from space
Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers made the extra-long distance call by accident, but he was "disappointed" when emergency responders didn't show up at the International Space Station.
Twin Cities hip-hop pioneers I.R.M Crew to reunite
The I-R-M Crew -- the first Twin Cities hip-hop group to release an album in the mid-1980s -- reunites for a performance Friday night at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.