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.

June 27, 2025 4:47 PM

MN Shortlist June 27-July 3: Stage legends, literary quests and brunch in fabulous heels

MN Shortlist is your weekly curated roundup of recommended events from MPR News, highlighting standout performances, exhibits and gatherings around the region.

by Jacob Aloi, Anika Besst and Alex V. Cipolle

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 27, 2025 11:00 AM

'Behind the Red Velvet Curtain'

Joy Womack is one of the few American ballet dancers to train and perform at Russia’s storied Bolshoi Academy. Her new memoir, as told to MPR News’ Elizabeth Shockman, is an intimate look at what it takes to become one of the best ballerinas in the world.

by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 26, 2025 3:11 PM

As Anna Wintour shifts her focus, 'Vogue' is looking for a new U.S. editor

Vogue magazine in the U.S. will soon have a new editorial head. Anna Wintour announced that, after nearly 40 years in the position, she will be focus on her wider roles at Vogue and Condé Nast.

by Elizabeth Blair

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 26, 2025 9:00 AM

Celebrating Black Music Month: How Black music shaped every sound we know

Gary Hines, the music director and founder of Sounds of Blackness, joins MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about the history and influence of Black artists across all genres of music.

by Angela Davis and Nikhil Kumaran

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 26, 2025 4:00 AM

Wild, safe and sober: An antique mall in Fridley centers the queer community

At Wild Things Antiques in Fridley — a queer-owned, 20,000-square-foot vintage mall and sober community space — monthly events like First Thursday Drag Bingo blend LGBTQ history, Pride-themed decor and inclusive celebration with the owners’ mission to create a welcoming, diverse alternative to the often exclusionary world of antiques.

by Alex V. Cipolle

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 25, 2025 7:06 PM

Molly Yeh’s new cookbook taps into her sweet life on a Minnesota sugar beet farm

Author Molly Yeh wrote the cookbook “Sweet Farm!” with inspiration from her home — a fifth-generation sugar beet farm in northwestern Minnesota.

by Lisa Ryan and Gretchen Brown

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 25, 2025 4:50 PM

In wildly different projects, Duluth musician Alan Sparhawk works through grief

Alan Sparhawk reemerged last year with a new sound featuring a drum machine and his voice through a processor. He has another new album with a band also born out of Duluth, Trampled by Turtles. Sparhawk spoke with MPR News host Clay Masters about both albums.

by Clay Masters and Gretchen Brown

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 24, 2025 9:46 AM

Democratic senators rent space at the Kennedy Center to host a Pride event

A group of Democratic senators and Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller are hosting a Pride celebration at the Kennedy Center Monday evening. But the Kennedy Center has nothing to do with programming it.

by Elizabeth Blair

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

June 23, 2025 12:37 PM

From Eiffel Tower to bistro chairs: Paris expos take center stage in new release by Minnesota author

After losing Minneapolis bid for Expo 2027, Charles Pappas took a dispirited walk in Paris that led him to realize how deeply the city’s iconic identity was shaped by its World Expos — an epiphany that inspired his new book, “Nobody Sits Like the French,” a historical exploration of Paris through its expos from 1855 to 1937.

by Alex V. Cipolle