The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has stirred outrage in recent months. This tumult comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s appointment — not election, appointment — as its new leader. Since his insertion into management and operations, ticket sales have plummeted, with audiences boycotting in protest of Trump’s presence. Debate is raging over the renaming of the illustrious venue named after the former commander-in-chief. This controversial move is stoking that debate even further.
Before opening up our application process, Donald Trump announced that he’d personally host the Kennedy Center’s annual arts awards signature show in December. This ruling has caused outrage among the arts community. Critics charge that under Trump’s leadership the institution’s leadership has put the artistic integrity of the institution at risk to further his own agenda. Richard Grenell, longtime foreign policy adviser to Trump, took over the Kennedy Center’s helm in February. His experience will provide a new approach to advocating organization-wide. Grenell’s tenure has already seen significant changes, including the dismissal of the Kennedy Center’s dance programming team. He ensured their replacement with Stephen Nakagawa. Stephen is a former company member of the Washington Ballet and in true form, Stephen is a proud “Maga former dancer.”
If these subscription leadership changes were not enough, they have made subscription revenue at the Kennedy Center crater down by almost 50%. The loss is roughly $1.6 million or a 36% decrease from 2024 numbers. For the Stuttgart Ballet’s next performance, they could potentially be playing to an audience under 20% capacity. This implementation issue poses threats to the long-term sustainability of events like this one.
And the backlash against Trump’s involvement hasn’t just been reflected in lost ticket sales. Sending up and shining a light At least ten of the cast members from the North America touring production of Les Misérables recently enacted a walk-out of one performance at the Kennedy Center. They were protesting because Trump was at the conference. A cumulative, growing wave of dissent is rising. Artists and audiences alike are reacting to larger cultural frustration with what they perceive as a national move toward “non-woke” entertainment.
Nakagawa has since become a prominent opponent of “radical leftist ideologies” in the ballet world. He makes a compelling case that these ideologies have driven artistic decisions at high profile institutions, such as the Kennedy Center. His appointment indicates a possible pivot in programming to try to win back a more conservative audience under Trump’s direction.
A spokesperson for the German embassy expressed uncertainty regarding the Stuttgart Ballet’s upcoming performance, emphasizing that poor ticket sales could impact attendance. This uncertainty highlights the monumental task ahead for the Kennedy Center as it makes its pivot into its new future with a Trumpian flair.