WASHINGTON D.C. — Several high-profile performances at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have been canceled following the center’s controversial renaming to include President Trump’s name, prompting a wave of withdrawals from artists and ensembles.
Veteran jazz ensemble The Cookers and New York-based Doug Varone and Dancers both announced the cancellation of scheduled performances, including two New Year’s Eve jazz shows and the dance company’s planned 40th anniversary performances in April.
In a statement, The Cookers said, “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice.” Drummer Billy Hart later told The New York Times that the center’s name change had “evidently” influenced the decision, noting concerns over potential reprisals.
Doug Varone, director of the dance company, described the move as “financially devastating but morally exhilarating,” citing a projected loss of $40,000 by canceling the April performances.
Kennedy Center Chairman Richard Grenell dismissed the cancellations as politically motivated, labeling the artists as “far-left political activists” and criticizing their actions as “a form of derangement syndrome.” He previously threatened a $1 million lawsuit after the cancellation of an annual Christmas Eve jazz concert hosted by Chuck Redd.
This latest wave of cancellations follows earlier departures by prominent performers, including Pulitzer Prize winner Rhiannon Giddens, soprano Renée Fleming, and singer-songwriter Ben Folds, after President Trump replaced members of the Kennedy Center’s board of directors with his allies.
Folk singer Kristy Lee also pulled out of a free Jan. 14 concert, saying in a social media post, “I won’t lie to you, canceling shows hurts… But losing my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck.”
In their statement, The Cookers urged reflection rather than resentment, emphasizing a commitment to creating music that “reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.” Varone similarly criticized the center’s leadership changes, saying, “We can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution.”
The cancellations have heightened tensions at one of the nation’s preeminent arts centers, signaling continued fallout over the center’s renaming and the broader politicization of cultural institutions in Washington, D.C.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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