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.

January 19, 2017 10:12 AM

In 'Homesick,' Ottessa Moshfegh makes the unlikeable understandable

The characters in Ottessa Moshfegh's new collection are cold, unfiltered, frequently pathetic -- all suffering from unease and nameless longing, made understandable by each perfectly-built story.

by Michael Schaub

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January 19, 2017 8:55 AM

Roy Hargrove's last shows tonight at the Dakota

Hargrove is a Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter. He was born in Texas, and started playing trumpet at a young age.

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January 19, 2017 4:00 AM

Art Hounds: Ragamala Dance, 'The Last Waltz' and Trophy Wife

This week on Art Hounds, Ragamala Dance performs "Written in Water," local musicians reenact "The Last Waltz" and women artists contemplate the term "trophy wife."

by Marianne Combs

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January 18, 2017 11:53 AM

The incredible story of two brothers kidnapped by the circus

Beth Macy's book, "Truevine," explores the century-old story of a pair of brothers who were forced into work as sideshow exhibits, and of their mother who tried to get them back.

by Kerri Miller and MPR News Staff

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January 18, 2017 8:55 AM

'Transit' is a journey you won't want to end

Rachel Cusk's latest -- the second in a trilogy that began with 'Outline' -- follows a writer unmoored by the breakup of her marriage, and the people she meets as she goes about her strange new life.

by Heller McAlpin

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January 18, 2017 8:55 AM

Local Show favorites to play First Ave.

The group is made up of three brothers, the Campbells, and they say they're rooted in an authentic "Minnesota sound."

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January 18, 2017 8:17 AM

In battle over band name, Supreme Court considers free speech and trademarks

The Patent and Trademark Office denied registration to an Asian-American rock band named The Slants; the musicians say they want to reappropriate the term. The case hits the high court on Wednesday.

by Nina Totenberg

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January 18, 2017 7:00 AM

Parting thoughts: Let the good times roll

Diane Witherspoon of Minneapolis passed away last month after a long career as a jazz singer. She was first inspired by her sister, Shirley Witherspoon, a renowned jazz musician who sang with the likes of Duke Ellington.