Previous employees of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts alerted a federal court in a recent submission that President Donald Trump’s plan to close the iconic institution for two years is not only illegal, but also poses a serious risk to the arts and culture.
The shutdown of the Kennedy Center is the most recent action by the Trump administration to mold the institution according to his vision, along with several other initiatives throughout D.C., such as Trump’s disputed, privately-funded development of amassive ballroom, instead of the East Wing of the White House.
Legal action was first filed last monthin opposition to the plan, with Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), a Democratic member of the Kennedy Center’s board, presenting complaints about the project.
Accordingto Scott MacFarlane of the Meidas Touch Network, the updated statement claims that “Defendants’ hasty choice to close the Kennedy Center completely for several years contradicts standard industry procedures,” and that “proper renovation of the Kennedy Center would, before starting work, require ongoing planning, evaluation, involvement, analysis, and design.”
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One of the potential victims of the Defendants’ planned renovation is the Kennedy Center’s main purpose: its performing arts schedule,” stated the members in the document. “The suddenness of the announced shutdown, through the President’s social media post in February and a Kennedy Center press release in mid-March, has already disturbed preparations for the upcoming season. This may damage institutional connections for many years. It could also put at risk the Kennedy Center’s capacity to draw top-tier performers in the future.
Prior to the scheduled closing, the modifications implemented by Trump at the Kennedy Center resulted in a significant drop in ticket sales, along with a surge ofremoval of high-level artist performances at the venue.
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