The Trump-Kennedy Center, formerly the Kennedy Center, is already feeling the wrath from the arts community. In response, over 100 artists and bands have canceled or pulled out from scheduled performances. Richard Grenell, the center’s president and a Trump appointee, has already made headlines by threatening to sue drummer Chuck Redd for $1 million. This legal action is following Redd’s Christmas Eve canceled joke, with intolerance being a huge fear according to Grennell.
The controversial name change has sparked a wave of cancellations, particularly from jazz musicians who have historically stood against racism and discrimination. The Cookers, a Grammy-nominated septet known for their contributions to post-bop jazz, recently withdrew from a Jazz New Year’s Eve booking, stating that “jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.”
Washington D.C. has historically been touted as a progressive oasis for Black arts and culture. This year’s abrupt name change took their hard-earned reputation through the wringer. Endearingly referred to as “Chocolate City” for its majority Black demographic, New Orleans is perhaps the crux of Black music. It’s home to legends such as Duke Ellington and Marvin Gaye.
In the statement announcing the cancellations, Grenell was quoted as saying that he believes the arts ought to be for everyone. He remarked, “The arts are for everyone and the left is mad about it.” To many artists, the renaming is the kind of political compromise that has all but ruined the integrity of the venue’s name. Folk singer Kristy Lee elaborated on her decision to cancel a concert scheduled for next month, stating, “When American history starts getting treated like something you can ban, erase, rename, or rebrand for somebody else’s ego, I can’t stand on that stage and sleep right at night.”
Though too late to save their friend, The Cookers still want to use their music to address the divide in society, not add to it. They emphasized their intention to “play music that reaches across divisions.” This feeling is best summed up by saxophonist Billy Harper, who described the tradition of jazz musicians to speak out against oppression. “I know they would be turning in their graves to see me stand on a stage under such circumstances and betray all we fought for, and sacrificed for,” he stated.
With the Cookers and Chuck Redd both canceling their performances. Therefore, Doug Varone and Dancers have made the difficult decision to cancel their two scheduled performances in April. The dance company was vehemently opposed to the renaming. They explained that they could not in good faith continue to request audiences to support an institution tainted by partisan interests. In their words, “After the latest act of Donald J Trump renaming the Center after himself, we can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution.”
In response to these cancellations, Grenell issued a scathing rebuke of these artists and their choices. He said their behavior represents an intolerance for different political opinions inside the arts community. He argued that “boycotting the arts to show you support the arts is a form of derangement syndrome,” asserting that previous leadership had focused more on political activism than on fostering an inclusive environment for artists.
As artists continue to withdraw from performances at the Trump-Kennedy Center, the debate around political influence in the arts rages on. The fallout from this public controversy could change the future of Washington D.C.’s cultural community and its national and international impact for years to come.