More artists cancel Kennedy Center gigs after Trump’s name is added to arts venue

 

Several high-profile concerts and performances have been canceled in the wake of the Kennedy Center’s controversial decision to add Donald Trump’s name to the landmark arts institution. The move, approved by the center’s board in late December, has sparked backlash across the arts community and led to multiple resignations.

Jazz ensemble The Cookers announced they would not perform on New Year’s Eve, citing artistic values rather than naming the Trump decision directly. In their statement, the group emphasized the importance of freedom in music: “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice… Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment.” Drummer Billy Hart later told The New York Times that the renaming “evidently” influenced their decision.

Similarly, Doug Varone and Dancers canceled their April performances, explicitly referencing the renaming. In an Instagram post, the company said, “With 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. The Kennedy Center was named in honor of President Kennedy, who believed the arts were the beating heart of our nation and a vital part of international diplomacy.”

The board’s vote to rename the venue as The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, or the Trump-Kennedy Center, was defended by Trump-supporting members who credited him with revitalizing the institution. Trump described the honor as both “surprising” and “humbling.”

This decision has ignited a debate about the role of politics in cultural institutions and raised questions about how renaming historic venues affects artists and audiences alike.