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.

Gord Downie, singer of The Tragically Hip, dies at 53
The man who helmed one of Canada's most-beloved bands for more than 30 years died Tuesday night of complications from brain cancer, according to his family.
When interracial love brought a palpable risk
Penumbra's production of "Wedding Band" observes the 50th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the landmark civil-rights decision.
Violent Femmes to play First Avenue
The Violent Femmes are playing a sold-out show Wednesday night at First Avenue in Minneapolis.
'Death in the Air' revisits 5 days when London was choked by poisonous smog
Kate Winkler Dawson's new book chronicles The Great Smog of 1952, when moist air from the Gulf Stream stalled for days over London, mixing with poisonous gases and causing more than 12,000 deaths.
The Minnesota Timberwolves begin a new season Wednesday night when they take on the Spurs in San Antonio.
George Saunders wins Man Booker prize for 'Lincoln in the Bardo'
It's the second year in a row that an American writer has taken home the prestigious literary award.
No Rock 'Em Sock 'Em here: Behold a U.S. vs. Japan giant robot duel
Engineers Gui Cavalcanti and Matt Oehrlein have brought science fiction to life. Their giant robot Eagle Prime fights a giant Japanese robot in an epic battle airing on Twitch on Tuesday.
Show lets artists draw a bead on gun culture
"Culture as Weapon" is the brainchild of an artist for whom violence has come too close, too often.
A mortician travels the world to 'find the good death'
Caitlin Doughty, whose Los Angeles funeral home specializes in alternative ceremonies, traveled the world to collect stories about how different peoples send loved ones off to the great beyond.