Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
More musicians have canceled scheduled performances at the Kennedy Center after its board voted to rename the Washington performing arts institution to include President Donald Trump’s name, a move that has intensified political backlash and sparked legal action.
Canceled performances now include shows that had been scheduled for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Jan. 14, according to artists and media reports.
The Cookers, a veteran jazz ensemble slated to perform Wednesday night, announced its withdrawal without explicitly citing the name change but framed the decision in political and historical terms.
“Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice,” the group said in a statement. “Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment.”
Kristy Lee, a folk musician who was scheduled to perform Jan. 14, said in an Instagram post that canceling the show was a matter of principle.
“Canceling shows hurts,” Lee wrote. “But losing my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck.”
“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,” she added.
Lee said she would instead perform a live show from her home. In a separate statement posted to her website, she said the cancellation was driven by concerns about the Kennedy Center’s “institutional integrity,” arguing that publicly funded cultural spaces should remain free from political influence.
“This decision is not directed at the Center’s dedicated staff, artists, or patrons,” Lee wrote. “Rather, it is a statement in defense of the Center’s founding purpose and the ethical responsibility shared by artists who grace its stage.”
Billy Hart, The Cookers’ drummer, told The New York Times, which first reported the most recent cancellations, that the name change “evidently” factored into the group’s decision.
The Kennedy Center’s board voted earlier this month to alter the institution’s name. Trump’s name was added to the building’s facade the following day, drawing criticism from Democratic lawmakers and members of the Kennedy family, who said the center was established by Congress to honor President John F. Kennedy and cannot be renamed without congressional approval.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, an ex officio member of the board, sued the Trump administration last week, calling the renaming a “flagrant violation of the rule of law.”
Jazz musician Chuck Redd was among the first artists to cancel a performance following the board’s vote, calling off his annual Christmas Eve concert after nearly two decades. Redd told The Associated Press that the name change prompted his decision.
In a letter to Redd, Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell threatened legal action, calling the cancellation a “political stunt” and warning of a potential $1 million lawsuit.
In a statement Saturday, Kennedy Center spokesperson Roma Daravi criticized artists who have canceled performances, saying, “Any artist cancelling their show at the Trump Kennedy Center over political differences isn’t courageous or principled—they are selfish, intolerant, and have failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist: to perform for all people.”
Since Trump asserted control over the center — including replacing board members, being named chair, and altering programming — multiple artists and productions have withdrawn, including the musical Hamilton and entertainer Issa Rae. Programming changes have also included the removal of Pride-related events.
