State of the Arts Blog

French sister city presents opportunity for artists
Representatives from Tour, France are in Minneapolis this week to check out, among other things, an exhibition of Minnesota artists which will be making its way across the Atlantic.
Minnesota treasures on tour, and in new book
For a museum without a building to call home, the Minnesota Museum of American Art is certainly doing a good job of making its presence known.
Visa issues plague Walker Art Center’s new season
The North American tour for Kinshasa's 'Staff Benda Bilili' has been canceled; they were set to perform in Minneapolis on September 27.
Former SPCO GM tapped to lead Schubert Club
After five years in London running that city's sinfonia, Barry Kempton returns to St. Paul to lead Minnesota's oldest arts organization.
Is sculpture too simple for today’s art lover?
In a world of increasingly complex art, critic Michael Kimmelman argues for the beautiful simplicity of sculpture.
How do you know when something is "bad art" as opposed to simply not to your personal liking?
Life and literature after 9/11
How have the events of 9/11 shaped contemporary literature? How has literature shaped our understanding of those events?
Cowles Center for Dance: Too good to be true?
The director of the new high-tech home for dance is offering affordable tickets and intimate seating to world-class performances.