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.

James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93
James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.
HUGE Improv Theater, a Minneapolis comedy hub for nearly 20 years, to close in October
Due to financial challenges, HUGE Improv Theater in Minneapolis will close permanently at the end of October. The announcement comes less than a month after two leaders resigned amid concerns about diversity and inclusion.
Danzy Senna’s new novel is an exhilarating yet poignant riff on the struggling artist as a wannabe middle-aged sellout. The writing is endlessly quotable and meaningfully provocative.
'Shogun' wins record-breaking 14 Emmys at Creative Arts ceremony as Jamie Lee Curtis gets her first
“Shogun” won a whopping 14 times at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. That's the most Emmys ever won by a show for a single season. Jamie Lee Curtis won her first career Emmy for best actress in a comedy series for her work on “The Bear."
Margaret Renkl on ‘The Comfort of Crows’
To celebrate the upcoming 25th anniversary of Talking Volumes, we are revisiting a favorite from last year. New York Times columnist and nature writer Margaret Renkl closed out the 2023 Talking Volumes season with meditations on the joys of a backyard oasis, the inevitable losses of a warming climate and how to live while holding both of those truths in tandem.
Author of ‘The Parrot and the Igloo’ examines the history of climate change deniers
David Lipsky, author of “The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial,” talks about the history of climate change and those who deny the science behind human-caused climate change.