December 25, 2007 - Stage Session's "The Traditions of Christmas: Those You Want and Those That Are Foisted Upon You," with Heather McElhatton and guest poet Bill Holm, who present an eclectic Christmas show featuring an unexpected mix of literature, music and more.
September 11, 2007 - While books about the African American experience are a mainstay of modern literature, book ART by African American artists is rare. In what's believed to be the first ever show of its kind, "We too are book artists" brings together the work of black book artists across the nation at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
August 6, 2007 - A helicopter made low passes over the collapsed section of the I-35 W today in an attempt to photograph evidence for the National Transportation Safety Board. The chopper hovered almost motionless in mid-air; meanwhile people on the Stone Arch Bridge just upstream got their own view of the wreckage. For thousands the pilgrimage to the scene began over the weekend when the Stone Arch Bridge re-opened to pedestrian traffic. Many are bringing binoculars, others bring cameras, still others bear flowers. Here's what some of them have to say.
July 10, 2007 - Hundreds of theater companies across the country are participating in a year-long floating theater festival. They're presenting short plays to the public as part of a project called "365 Days...365 Plays." It's an attempt to make theater easier to produce and more accessible to audiences. The Twin Cities company Nautilus Music-Theater is performing the plays that make up Week 35 of the project.
June 22, 2007 - A new exhibition of paintings at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts explores the importance of the landscape to Nordic cultural identity. A Mirror of Nature opens Sunday and runs through September Second. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs has this preview. (BACKANNOUNCE:) To see paintings from the Nordic Landscapes exhibition, visit our website, at minnesota-public-radio-dot-org.
December 29, 2006 - Graywolf Press in St. Paul has announced that it's successfully completed a one-million-dollar fundraising campaign. That may seem like small potatoes compared to the accomplishments of other cultural institutions, but this is a singular feat in the world of literature.
December 4, 2006 - St. Paul's Citywide Book Club will focus exclusively on Minnesota authors this year. It's a way to mark the 150th anniversary of the St. Paul Public Schools. The schools, together with the the City of St. Paul and the St Paul Public Library, announced seven selections today, including "The Things They Carried," Tim O'Brien's collection of short stories about the Vietnam war. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman says he's proud of this selection because it can give Minnesotans perspective on what's happening in Iraq.
December 4, 2006 - A new foundation has awarded three Minnesota artists with substantial grants. United States Artists is a new organization dedicated to supporting America's finest living artists. Starting this year it plans to award 50 grants of 50-thousand dollars each. Minnesota recipients include theater director Dominique Serrand, and writers Susan Power and Sandra Benitez . Benitez says she's thrilled that there's a new foundation directly supporting artists.
November 23, 2006 - Two twin cities churches have joined forces to provide free clothing to those in need. God's Closet is an East St. Paul charity that gives away bags of clothing to its neighbors. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs reports the church charity is transforming the lives of both the clients and the volunteers.
October 4, 2006 - The Penumbra Theatre Company in St. Paul kicked off its 30th anniversary season by announcing a multi-year August Wilson project.