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.

Minneapolis poet laureate Heid E. Erdrich presents official poem to the city
Heid E. Erdrich was honored at the Minneapolis American Indian Center on Thursday for her time as poet laureate. She presented her community-inspired poem, “Poem for Minneapolis/Bde Óta Othúŋwe/Gakaabikaang,” to the city at the event. 
Historic images of Native Americans by a Swiss artist find their way back to North Dakota
More than two dozen historic prints that depict Native American life and culture on the Upper Missouri River nearly 200 years ago will soon be more accessible to the public, thanks to a donation. 
‘A symbol of home’ — A new theft tour at the Judy Garland Museum as the ruby slippers go to auction
The Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids is hosting Ruby Slipper Theft Guided Tours detailing the infamous 2005 theft of the iconic “Wizard of Oz” shoes, as the museum prepares to bid for their return at a high-profile auction, hoping to bring them back to Judy Garland’s hometown as a tribute to her legacy.
A sweet lesson: History museum teaches appreciation for buildings, design through gingerbread
The Stearns History Museum sponsors community classes that aim to teach concepts of architecture and design using an unusual medium: gingerbread. Its organizers say if people know more about how buildings are put together, they’ll be able to better care for them and keep them in use.
Writer Thoreau warned of brain rot in 1854. Now it's the Oxford Word of 2024
The term brain rot first appeared in Henry David Thoreau's famous “Walden,” according to the Oxford University Press. How did he use it — and what might he have made of its modern meaning?