Artists are staging a boycott of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the United States in response to recent changes implemented by Donald Trump.
Numerous performers have withdrawn their shows from the prestigious venue located in Washington, D.C., since the president appointed himself as chairman and substituted board members with his political allies.
A musician expressed to Sky News that this represents “authoritarianism encroaching upon arts institutions.”
The Kennedy Center in Washington DC
Known as a platform for outstanding American performance art, the Kennedy Center hosts over 2,000 events each year, including its annual honors ceremony, which recognizes artists who have significantly impacted U.S. culture. Previous honorees include notable figures like Joni Mitchell, Aretha Franklin, and Led Zeppelin.
Traditionally, the center’s board of trustees comprised individuals from diverse political backgrounds.
Inside the Kennedy Center, where Trump has installed himself as chairman
Following Trump’s election, he removed 18 board members and filled those positions with individuals who share his political views, including chief of staff Susie Wiles and Fox News personalities Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo.
As the newly appointed chairman, Trump commented on the production schedule: “We didn’t like what they were showing; we’re going to ensure it’s good and not ‘woke.’
The renowned Broadway show Hamilton is among those that have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center as a form of protest. Other notable figures include actor and producer Issa Rae, mystery novelist Louise Penny, and Pulitzer Prize-winning folk musician Rhiannon Giddens.
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The rock band Low Cut Connie opted to switch their scheduled performance at the Kennedy Center to another venue in Washington, D.C.
Frontman Adam Weiner commented to Sky News: “This will impact the arts. With Trump taking over the Kennedy Center, dismissing half of the board, and altering the programming, this is a manifestation of authoritarianism targeting arts institutions. As a working artist, I refuse to accept it.”
Adam Weiner, the front man of Low Cut Connie
Low Cut Connie performed at a different venue in Washington DC
He further stated: “Other nations have encountered authoritarianism before. Our country is still young. This is an American experiment, and as a nation, we lack collective memory of what authoritarianism can inflict.
“We appear to be sleepwalking in this country. Many do not grasp how dire this situation can become, and while it may seem gradual, the pace is quicker than people assume. I worry that among artists, not addressing these changes amounts to tacit approval. It is a capitulation.”
Trump has broadened his influence in the arts by appointing his acquaintances Mel Gibson, Jon Voight, and Sylvester Stallone as “special ambassadors” to Hollywood, tasked with the goal of “revitalizing Hollywood to be bigger, better, and stronger than ever before”.
Robin Givhan, a senior critic-at-large at The Washington Post
Regarding the changes at the Kennedy Center, Robin Givhan, a senior critic-at-large at The Washington Post, remarked to Sky News: “This sends a clear message that certain ideas are unwelcome. More critically, it indicates a president who seeks to control not only who performs on stage.”
“It reflects a desire to manipulate the perceptions of the audience members, and that is, to me, much more alarming.”
