Experimental Icon Laurie Anderson Reshapes Republic of Love for the Twin Cities at the Walker Art Center
“For half a century, [Laurie Anderson] has taken the things we know best—our bodies, our rituals, our nation—and shown us how strange they really are.” —New York Times
The Walker Art Center opens its 2026–2027 Performing Arts season with creative luminary and experimental performance artist Laurie Anderson, presenting Republic of Love (Solo) on Wednesday and Thursday, September 9–10, 2026, at 7:30 pm in the McGuire Theater.
Inspired by the Twin Cities’ recent history of protest and resistance, she reshapes her touring production, Republic of Love, into a space for solidarity and healing. The program brings together songs and stories about contemporary life in America.
“Laurie Anderson is one of our most important living American artists, a rare figure whose broad pop culture appeal is rooted in curiosity, innovation and incisive, moving reflections on the precarious nature of our body politic” said Philip Bither, Director and Senior Curator of Performing Arts at the Walker. “I couldn’t think of a more appropriate artist to open our 2026-27 season, a time of continued strain and uncertainty for our communities, but also of hope.”
The engagement celebrates the nearly five-decade relationship between Anderson and the Walker. Anderson’s relationship with the Walker began in 1978. She returned for performances in 1980, 1982, and 1984. Her work also appeared in Alive from Off Center, the nationally televised experimental arts series created by the Walker and Twin Cities Public Television. Subsequent Walker presentations included Happiness in 2002, Dirtday! in 2012, and The Language of the Future in 2016. In 2024, she returned for a public conversation with artist Sophie Calle.
Laurie Anderson, Republic of Love (Solo). Photo: Ebru Yildiz. Courtesy of the artist.
Laurie Anderson: Republic of Love (Solo)
September, 9–10, 7:30 pm
McGuire Theater
TICKETS
Ordering tickets is easy: visit walkerart.org/tickets or call 612-375-7600. Box office is open Wednesday–Sunday and one hour before performances.
ACCESSIBILITY
For more information about accessibility, visit our accessibility page. For questions on accessibility or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
About Laurie Anderson
Laurie Anderson is a writer, director, composer, visual artist, musician, and vocalist whose groundbreaking work spans art, theater, experimental music, and technology. She has created numerous multimedia stage performances, published ten books, and been nominated for five Grammy Awards, with her visual art exhibited globally at institutions including the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, and the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. In 2021 she delivered the Charles Eliot Norton Lectures at Harvard University, Spending the War Without You: Virtual Backgrounds. In 2024 she premiered ARK: United States Part 5 at Factory International in Manchester, released her studio album Amelia on Nonesuch Records, and was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as the Gold Medal for Music from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She currently has two installations at Biennale Arte 2026: In Minor Keys in Venice, Italy. Her latest album, Let X=X, was released in May 2026.
About the Walker Art Center
The Walker Art Center is a renowned multidisciplinary arts institution that presents, collects, and supports the creation of groundbreaking work across the visual and performing arts, moving image, and design. Guided by the belief that art has the power to bring joy and solace and the ability to unite people through dialogue and shared experiences, the Walker engages communities through a dynamic array of exhibitions, performances, events, and initiatives. Its multiacre campus includes 65,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, the state-of-the-art McGuire Theater and Walker Cinema, and ample green space that connects with the adjoining Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The Garden, a partnership with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, is one of the first urban sculpture parks of its kind in the United States and home to the beloved Twin Cities landmark Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Recognized for its ambitious program and growing collection of more than 16,000 works, the Walker embraces emerging art forms and amplifies the work of artists from the Twin Cities and from across the country and the globe. Its broad spectrum of offerings makes it a lively and welcoming hub for artistic expression, creative innovation, and community connection.