The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is one of many institutions undergoing significant renovation and expansion in Washington, D.C. The recent leadership changes have created a deep sense of concern and curiosity across the arts community. In February, then-President Donald J. Trump appointed Richard Grenell to be the new president of the Kennedy Center. To further solidify his control, Trump appointed himself chairman. This restructuring has drawn an incendiary response from artists and staff. Most of them are fearful about what this new direction may portend for their future.
Following these appointments, Yasmin Williams, a prominent artist and advocate for the arts, received an overwhelming response from her peers. Over 100 people messaged her on Instagram. They wished to express their concerns about the Kennedy Center’s future and the direction in which it should go to its new leadership. From the hosts’ perspectives, these changes impose political constraints and threaten the institution’s long-standing non-political stance and commitment to diverse programming.
The Kennedy Center has developed a deep well of trust and credibility from over four decades of supporting creative free expression across cultures. Simultaneously, it provides high-paying jobs to its employees and unionized workers. Indeed, it’s famously notorious for not just providing a higher hourly wage than any other venue in the D.C. metro region. Its status as a living cultural landmark has contributed to and further strengthened its role as an essential piece of the cultural fabric of this great nation.
These recent changes have led to criticism not just from artists, but from Trump himself. As a result, he called the Kennedy Center’s programming “terrible” and “a disgrace.” He proposed that, while still a worthy goal, it has fallen out of favor with the people. Grenell, to his credit, saw that promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was an excessive waste of taxpayer dollars. He acknowledged that even these costs were unsustainable given the financial state of the center.
“Yes, I cut the DEI bullshit because we can’t afford to pay people for fringe and niche programming that the public won’t support,” – Richard Grenell
In her pursuit of clarity on these changes, Yasmin Williams contacted Grenell directly through email. With these changes, she wanted to know how this would impact the scope of programming and hiring practices at the Kennedy Center. She illustrated the concern over the new leadership’s communication on a lack of clarity. More often than not, their rapid-fire responses only served to raise worries rather than quell them.
Broadway stars such as Lin-Manuel Miranda and Rhiannon Giddens voted with their feet, canceling performances in protest. This audacious move further escalated the feverous, hostile climate that already surrounded the Kennedy Center. The rapid changes have left many wondering about the future direction of an institution that has historically been a sanctuary for artistic expression free from political influence.
Williams expressed her dismay at the situation, highlighting that many artists felt they could no longer perform at the Kennedy Center “because they couldn’t be in the presence of republicans.” This sentiment illustrates an increasing concern. Now, political affiliations are affecting artistic decisions in a process that once prided itself on being open and welcoming to all.
The consequences of Grenell’s leadership go far beyond programming shifts. His comments around eliminating tax breaks for those earning more than $500k annually represent a monumental shift. The group has to spend their time and money in new ways going forward.
“The programs are so woke that they haven’t made money,” – Richard Grenell
This seemingly simple statement goes to the heart of a core and central change in how programming decisions are to be made at the center. Skeptics contend that this strategy would result in a homogeneity of creative offerings, with an emphasis on profitable ventures taking precedence over innovative artistic endeavors.
The Kennedy Center’s artistic community has proven to be just as quick to respond. These advocates fear the potential changes would disenfranchise audiences who appreciate and want live theatres to present a variety of programming and inclusive representation on stage. That pushback against Trump’s hostile takeover makes clear that the arts and politics are inextricably linked. In an era where philanthropic support for cultural organizations is hard to come by, museums and zoos can feel this pressure acutely.