Politics

Artists Cancel Kennedy Center Performances Following Renaming Vote

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Dec 31, 2025

THE BARE STORY

Multiple performers have withdrawn from upcoming appearances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., following a decision by the institution's board to rebrand the venue. On December 18, the board voted to rename the institution the "Trump–Kennedy Center," and President Donald Trump’s name was subsequently added to the building's exterior and website.

Among the acts canceling scheduled shows are the jazz ensemble The Cookers, who withdrew from New Year's Eve performances, and the dance company Doug Varone and Dancers, which pulled out of an April engagement. Other performers, including jazz musician Chuck Redd and folk singer Kristy Lee, also canceled appearances. The artists provided varying reasons for their departures; Doug Varone and Dancers cited the renaming as the direct catalyst, while Lee stated she could not perform where history is rebranded for "ego." The Cookers released a statement emphasizing the history of jazz as a medium for freedom of expression.

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell responded to the cancellations on social media, stating that the artists involved were booked by the center's previous leadership, which he characterized as "far-left." Grenell argued that the withdrawals proved a preference for booking political activists and described boycotting the arts as a "form of derangement syndrome," adding that the arts are intended for everyone.

The controversy follows significant administrative changes at the center earlier this year. President Trump currently serves as the board chair, and the board of trustees now includes administration figures such as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Second Lady Usha Vance.

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• Critique of previous booking practices Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell attributed the conflict to the decisions made by the venue’s former administration. He characterized the previous leadership as "far-left," implying that the artists currently canceling their appearances were originally selected due to political biases.

• Cancellations viewed as political activism Current leadership argued that the withdrawals validate their concerns regarding the political nature of the booked talent. Grenell asserted that the artists' refusal to perform proves a preference for booking "political activists" rather than neutral entertainers.

• Defense of arts accessibility against boycotts Officials dismissed the boycotts, with Grenell describing the reaction to the renaming as a "form of derangement syndrome." He maintained that the arts are intended for everyone, suggesting that withdrawing from performances serves to limit cultural access rather than protect it.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader: Patrons holding tickets for upcoming events, including New Year's Eve jazz performances and spring dance engagements, face cancellations and schedule changes as artists withdraw from the venue.

Future programming at the center may shift in tone or genre, as current leadership moves away from bookings they characterize as "far-left" or politically activist.

Visitors to the venue or its website will encounter the new "Trump–Kennedy Center" branding following the board's vote to rename the institution.

Administrative oversight of the center now includes direct involvement from current administration figures on the board of trustees, potentially influencing operational decisions moving forward.

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