The Arts in America

The National Endowment for the Arts has canceled numerous grants to arts organizations following President Trump's proposal to eliminate the agency, impacting theaters and nonprofits across the U.S.

Actors' Equity Association is raising alarm over President Donald Trump’s latest budget proposal, which calls for the elimination of federal funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and other cultural agencies.

The President submitted his 2026 budget proposal, which calls for the elimination of several government agencies in order to 'reach balance and restore confidence in America's fiscal management'. Included in that list are the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Following sweeping leadership changes under Donald Trump, the Kennedy Center has quietly canceled or relocated its Tapestry of Pride events, originally set for June 5–8 as part of WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., according to the Associated Press.

At least six staffers at the Kennedy Center were dismissed Friday. Roughly 20 employees have now been let go, with the latest layoffs affecting teams in government relations, marketing, social media, and rentals.

The White House is preparing to ask Congress to rescind more than $1 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting, in a move that could wipe out nearly all federal support for NPR, PBS, and their local affiliates,

A federal court declined to issue an injunction against the National Endowment for the Arts over a funding restriction tied to 'gender ideology,' but warned the ban likely violates the First Amendment.

Washington D.C.-based guitarist Yasmin Williams publicly shared contentious emails from Richard Grenell, the interim executive director of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, revealing a heated exchange regarding changes under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The U.S. District Court in Rhode Island yesterday denied a motion for preliminary injunctive relief by arts organizations applying for National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding. We have the full story here.

Opera Fellow Travelers has been pulled from the Kennedy Center's 2025-26 season by its creators, who objected to President Trump's leadership following his appointment as chairman. Washington National Opera’s upcoming season includes productions such as Verdi’s Aida and Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ upcoming Broadway Center Stage production of Legally Blonde has been postponed. Learn more about the production here.

In the wake of Trump's takeover, The Kennedy Center has laid off its social impact team. Multiple anonymous staff members reported to the Post that the members were terminated, including artistic director Marc Bamuthi Joseph.

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.