Kennedy Center Removes LGBTQ+ Pride Concert Following Trump Takeover

The Kennedy Center has removed the National Symphony Orchestra's concert "A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride" from its website, a move that has stirred apprehensions about the influence of the Trump administration on federally affiliated cultural institutions. Scheduled for May 21st and 22nd, 2025 - this event was part of the center’s acknowledgment of WorldPride 2025 and aimed to highlight LGBTQ+ identity and visibility through music.

This decision follows shortly after President Donald Trump appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center's board, ousted its longtime president Deborah Rutter, and named Richard Grenell, a loyal right-wing operative, as the interim executive director. 

The concert was to feature John Bucchino and was a key part of the Kennedy Center’s Conflux initiative, which focuses on social impact through arts. 

BroadwayWorld reported earlier today the creators of the new children's musical Finn, Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond, announced on Instagram that the upcoming Kennedy Center-produced tour has been cancelled.

The musical premiered at the Kennedy Center in December and has since been nominated for a Helen Hayes Award. It chronicles the coming-of-age journey of a young shark following his dreams. 

Earlier this week, several high-profile figures have resigned from their roles within the Kennedy Center, including Board Treasurer Shonda Rhimes, National Symphony Orchestra Artistic Advisor Ben Folds, and Artistic Advisor-at-Large Renée Fleming.