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.

107-year-old northern Minn. woman leaves behind stories of moonshine, priests
Elsye McGuire's early life reads like "Little House on the Prairie" -- if it were written for adults, and Pa ran an illegal moonshine still in the swamp behind his house.
Elvis Costello customized 'Less Than Zero' lyrics for American listeners
The song is about Oswald Mosely, but when performing in America, Costello would change the lyrics so that it would be about Lee Harvey Oswald. He assumed Americans had never heard of Oswald Mosely.
March 26 was National Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. It's an opportunity to reflect on the things in life that are worth celebrating -- whether it's the importance of voting, kindness or hairdos. Here are some ideas from members of our Public Insight Network.
Tale as old as time: The dark appeal of 'Beauty and the Beast'
Disney's new live-action extravaganza is just the latest retelling of this classic fairy tale. But why do Beauty and her Beast have such a hold on us? And why are there so many versions of their tale?
If you break literature down by the numbers
Statistician Ben Blatt dumped the text of thousands of books into a database, and pulled out many revealing trends.
Welcome to 'The Collapsing Empire': Questions for John Scalzi
Prolific sci-fi author John Scalzi boots up a new universe in "The Collapsing Empire." It's set in a future where far-flung humanity's ability to travel and communicate between planets is under threat.