The Arts in America

Gianandrea Noseda will remain National Symphony Orchestra music director through 2031, as the Kennedy Center adjusts to recent changes under President Trump. Noseda, who has held the post since 2017, said he sees more to accomplish with the ensemble.

President Donald Trump, in his first board meeting as Kennedy Center chairman, questioned the use of Actors' Equity performers, suggesting a shift in programming that could bring 'more options and a lot more money.'

The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (ACPA) has announced a pause in its Broadway Alaska programming for the upcoming season, including the scheduled presentation of Disney’s The Lion King. The decision, made in collaboration with partner Nederlander, comes amid rising operational costs and the need for long-term financial sustainability.

President Donald Trump visited the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, presiding over his first board meeting since becoming chairman.

Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson teamed up with FINN creators Chris Nee, Michael Kooman, and Christopher Dimond to present a one-night-only performance that also celebrated the fifth anniversary of Stars in the House. Watch the full show here!

Ahead of the board meeting, Trump addressed the media as he arrived at the Kennedy Center. Speaking about today's board meeting, the President complained about IATSE unionized workers at the Kennedy Center.

During his first term, Trump was criticized by artists who were at the gala. Now, during his second term, he is looking to have more say in who these honorees are. 

Opera America has announced that Deborah F. Rutter, former president of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, will be the keynote speaker at Opera Conference 2025. Rutter served as the first woman president of the Kennedy Center from 2014 to 2025. She left the position after President Donald Trump appointed new board members.

The backlash against the Trump administration's takeover of the Kennedy Center continued this evening, when Vice President J.D. Vance was booed upon his entrance to national arts institution. Watch the video.

Earlier this week IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb visited the Kennedy Center to meet with IATSE members, hear their concerns, and show solidarity as behind-the-scenes workers face uncertainty following recent show cancellations. 

The recent upheaval at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following President Donald Trump's self-appointment as chairman, has sent shockwaves through the arts community. This unprecedented move has led to significant administrative changes, program cancellations, and a broader debate about the intersection of politics and cultural institutions.

Donald Trump has appointed two Fox News personalities, Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo, to the board of the Kennedy Center.

The National Endowment for the Arts has agreed to remove a certification requirement that forced artists to attest that they will not “promote gender ideology” in order to apply for funding while the outcome of the case from the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Rhode Island is pending.  

The Kennedy Center has issued a statement from Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi detailing program cancellations over the last six months. This follows a series of cancellations at the venue, most recently for the upcoming tour stop of Hamilton.

Several theaters have officially taken action against the National Endowment for the Arts' new grantee rules, which are a result of Trump's recent Gender Ideology Executive Order.

Hamilton has cancelled its Kennedy Center Engagement due to Trump's takeover of the institution. Learn more about Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center here.

PEN America joined a coalition of seven national free speech and arts organizations, led by the National Coalition Against Censorship, in condemning the Trump administration’s effort to exert control over federally-supported cultural initiatives. We have all of the details here.

The Supreme Court has denied a petition made by a Memphis theater company to appeal Tennessee's ban on drag performances. The company filed the petition in December 2024, and it was denied on February 24, 2025.

The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Jonathan Spector's Eureka Day is among a number of canceled productions at the Kennedy Center following the Trump administration's recent takeover of the cultural institution. Explore the impact of the Trump administration's takeover of the Kennedy Center on cultural programming, including the cancellation of Eureka Day.

Several books have been banned by The Department of Defense at schools for children of service members, including actor Julianne Moore's Freckleface Strawberry, a book that includes an interview from playwright Lynn Nottage, and more.

The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington D.C. have responded to The Kennedy Center's recent cancelation of their concert with the National Symphony Orchestra, 'A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride.'

The National Park Service, under a new executive order, has removed all mentions of transgender and queer identities from webpages associated with LGBTQ history. In response, the NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project has issued a statement.

The NEA hosted an open webinar covering questions submitted about the new guidelines for Grants for Arts Projects (GAP). Check out what was covered in the meeting here.

463 artists have signed a letter to the National Endowment for the Arts asking them to roll back the new measures. Signees reportedly include Pulitzer-winning playwrights Lynn Nottage, Jackie Sibblies Drury, and Paula Vogel. Read the letter in full here.

BroadwayWorld previously reported that President Trump was elected as the chairman of the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center. Dancers are now protesting Trump's involvement and the  changes at the Kennedy Center. Learn more.