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.

One way to bridge the political divide: Read the book that's not for you
"We all need to be reading across the lines we've drawn in our lives," says the National Book Foundation's Lisa Lucas. She recommends two books to help readers do just that.
Ask a bookseller: Rediscovered Books in Boise
Bruce Delaney gave up his career as a physicist to open the bookstore. He normally reads a lot of history and science fiction, but a new YA book has caught his attention.
How bookstores can bring us together
"Bookstores are the perfect place for the conversation to begin about how we can understand different people's perspectives," said Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association.
Weird, spirited 'Pieces of Soap' celebrates the essays of Stanley Elkin
Elkin, who died in 1995, was known for his satirical takes on American culture. Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews a new collection of essays that showcases the freshness of Elkin's work.
The late Leonard Cohen wrote music to the end
Today's Morning Edition music is from Leonard Cohen with "It Seemed the Better Way" from his final album "You Want It Darker" which was released last month.
Influential singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen dies at 82
The Canadian-born artist is remembered for his influence on other musicians, as much as for his own creations. His latest album came out less than a month ago.
A hospice chaplain shares what dying taught her about living
Kerry Egan has sat at the bedside of many patients at the end of their lives, and she shares what she's learned in her new book, "On Living."
50 years ago: Monkees's Nesmith told music producers that they'd crossed a line
Today's Morning Edition music is from the song "Take a Giant Step" by the Monkees, the flipside of their first single, "Last Train to Clarkesville," which was number one on the Billboard pop chart 50 years ago today.