Kennedy Center Ticket Sales Crater Under Grenell

The Washington Post reports:

In the Truth Social post announcing his intentions to take over the storied arts institution, Trump had promised to make the center “GREAT AGAIN,” adding, “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation.” The implication was clear: The performers previously booked at the center were not the “brightest STARS.” Why would those performers still want to climb on that stage?

In the week following Trump’s announcement, ticket sales dropped by roughly 50 percent compared to the previous week, a stunning aberration, according to several Kennedy Center staff members who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal. “We want to make art great again,” Grenell said Friday at CPAC. He said the center would attract topline talent and host “a big, huge celebration of the birth of Christ at Christmas.” (The center routinely puts on Christmas events.)

Read the full article. As the Post goes on to report, multiple top performers have canceled their shows.

As sales drop, artists weigh canceling Kennedy Center shows in protest
“Ticket sales dropped roughly 50 percent week-over-week after Trump announced his takeover, sources said. Meanwhile, performers are mulling their options.”

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— John Wesley Shipp (@johnwesleyshipp.bsky.social) February 22, 2025 at 10:24 AM