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.

Cube Critics: Stay up to date with our weekly art and culture chats with MPR News’ Jacob Aloi, Alex V. Cipolle, Max Sparber, Aron Woldeslassie and guests. Listen to or read Cube Critics here

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.

Two Ojibwe artists practice culture and tradition with birchbark 
Working with birchbark has been a long tradition for tribes in the Midwest, however, there are concerns that it has become a rarity. For two Ojibwe artists, they share the significance of what birchbark means to them and their art.   
Karen Russell’s ‘The Antidote’ is an American epic — and well worth the wait
Russell has published excellent short story collections since her 2011 debut novel “Swamplandia!,” but this is her first novel in nearly 15 years. It follows a “Prairie Witch” in Dust Bowl-era Nebraska.
Why Amanda Knox returns to Italy — and how she talks with her daughter about injustice
Amanda Knox spent nearly four years in an Italian prison for a murder she didn’t commit. After her exoneration, she reached out to the man who prosecuted her case. Knox’s new memoir is “Free.”
New book traces 75-year history of U.S. military climate research
The U.S. military unearthed data about rising sea levels in the early 1950s — and has been closely watching this threat to national security ever since. MPR News chief meteorologist Paul Huttner and geoscientist Paul Bierman talk about climate research by the U.S. Military Forces.
On new album, DIY punk band The Taxpayers seek solace during violent times
DIY punk band The Taxpayers channel personal loss, grief and a search for refuge into their new album “Circle Breaker,” written in the wake of the 2023 Nudieland shooting that killed their friend August Golden.
Kennedy Center lays off Social Impact employees
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., has dissolved its Social Impact division, which partnered with local organizations to bring in diverse artists and audiences.