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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.

A violent 1934 strike helped launch Minneapolis' middle class. A new book tells its story

A violent 1934 strike helped launch Minneapolis' middle class. A new book tells its story

In “Fight & Win,” author John Hanson tells the story of how the 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters strike, which his father was a part of, helped make Minneapolis known as a union town.
by Nina Moini and Ellen Finn

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Voting rights expert Carol Anderson in conversation with Kerri Miller in Red Wing

Voting rights expert Carol Anderson in conversation with Kerri Miller in Red Wing

Carol Anderson, one of the country’s leading experts on voting access, worries the Jim Crow-era is beginning anew with persistent attempts to deny communities of color their right to vote. She spoke about the urgent need to protect voting rights.
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Making classical music more accessible: Meet Minnesota Orchestra CEO Isaac Thompson

Making classical music more accessible: Meet Minnesota Orchestra CEO Isaac Thompson

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Isaac Thompson, the president and CEO of the Minnesota Orchestra. He grew up inspired by the orchestra — now he’s leading it. They talk about his career, classical music and the orchestra’s future.
by Angela Davis and Nikhil Kumaran

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Dennis Haskins, who played the hapless principal on 'Saved by the Bell,' dies at 75

Dennis Haskins, who played the hapless principal on 'Saved by the Bell,' dies at 75

Dennis Haskins, best known as Principal Richard Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” has died. He was 75. His agent confirmed his death early Tuesday. Haskins played the hapless principal on the hit NBC sitcom, which aired from 1989 to 1993.
by The Associated Press

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Ask a Bookseller: ‘The Great Wherever’ by Shannon Sanders

Ask a Bookseller: ‘The Great Wherever’ by Shannon Sanders

Victoria Ford of Comma, a bookshop in Minneapolis recommends Shannon Sanders’ debut novel, “The Great Wherever.”
by Emily Bright

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Louise Erdrich wins the Gish Prize, a top arts honor

Louise Erdrich wins the Gish Prize, a top arts honor

Louise Erdrich has received the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the arts. A Pulitzer and National Book Award winner, Erdrich also co-founded Birchbark Books, a Minneapolis bookstore that supports Native culture and literature. The Gish selection committee praised her impactful writing and the bookstore's mission to celebrate diverse voices.
by The Associated Press

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Author Sarah Longwell says political character counts in ‘How to Eat an Elephant’

Author Sarah Longwell says political character counts in ‘How to Eat an Elephant’

Is the idea of political virtue outdated? What do voters say when asked if character counts? That’s just one of the complicated topics Sarah Longwell, publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group Podcast, tackles in her new book, “How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time.”
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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MN Shortlist: Sept. 25-Oct. 1: Indigenous exhibition at Weisman, Lake Superior art crawl and more

MN Shortlist: Sept. 25-Oct. 1: Indigenous exhibition at Weisman, Lake Superior art crawl and more

“Merciless: Indigenous Lands Since 1776” exhibition opens at the Weisman Art Museum, the 15th annual Lake Superior 20/20 Studio & Art Tour, a poetry performance and flag-raising in Minneapolis and Franconia Sculpture Park’s 30th anniversary are among this week’s picks.
by Chandra Colvin, Emily Bright and Alex V. Cipolle

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Twin Cities Arab Film Festival celebrates its 20th event

Twin Cities Arab Film Festival celebrates its 20th event

The Twin Cities Arab Film Fest is celebrating its 20th edition with the theme “Looking Forward, Looking Back.” The festival will feature a retrospective of short films by Hadi Moussally, who often explores being Arab and queer.
by Clay Masters and Brent Jabbour

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