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.

Northeast Minneapolis lizard sculpture smashed in car crash
A beloved northeast Minneapolis sculpture took a hit this weekend when a car drove off the road and crashed into it. “Lizard Lounge” dwells on the lawn of East Side Neighborhood Services. The Minneapolis Police Department said a car crashed into the sculpture just before 3 a.m. on Saturday morning.
Minnesota journalist featured in ‘Quiet on Set,’ bombshell docuseries on alleged abuse at Nickelodeon
Rick Ellis is the founder of the online publication “All Your Screens.” His reporting on Nickelodeon studios landed him on the new docuseries “Quiet on Set.”
‘Literacy is not just about words’: Music director responds to potential cuts by MPS
One of the programs on Minneapolis’ potential chopping block is fifth grade band and orchestra. Reed Wixson, director of bands and orchestras at Minneapolis Southwest High School, helped create the universal music program.
Leif Enger’s ‘cheerful refusal’ to accept despair infuses his new dystopian adventure novel
Duluth author Leif Enger’s dystopian novel “I Cheerfully Refuse” is set in and around an alternative Duluth where many of the things Minnesotans take for granted have just stopped working. It’s an adventure story with a bass-playing housepainter at its center, who is forced to take off in a sailboat across Lake Superior after a brush with evil.
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ reinforces her dedication to Black reclamation — and country music
As a Black woman reclaiming country music, Beyoncé stands in opposition to stereotypical associations of the genre with whiteness. The genre, though, has its roots in Black traditions and culture and her album pays homage to some of her forerunners and influences, like Linda Martell.
Ask a Bookseller: ‘The Three Little Tardigrades: A Slightly Scientific Fairy Tale’
Revati Kilaparti of Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, Colo., said this book is a delight to read, with cute, colorful pictures and more information at the end that gives you a chance to learn about these versatile creatures.
Why the University of Idaho marching band members are heroes in Connecticut
When Yale’s marching band wasn’t able to make it to March Madness, the Sound of Idaho stepped in — and went viral. A week later, Connecticut’s governor proclaimed a “University of Idaho Day.”