The Kennedy Center is falling apart under Trump’s rule. Ticket sales have crashed, artists are leaving, and even loyal donors are backing away.
The Washington Post reports that about 43% of tickets for the main theaters went unsold between early September and mid-October. That’s nearly half the seats gone and more than $1 million in lost revenue. The once-busy Opera House, Concert Hall, and Eisenhower Theater are now marked by empty rows and quiet halls.
Since Trump took control, many artists have refused to perform. Some call it a “cultural blackout.” Others say they will not support a space that now promotes politics over creativity.
Trump’s ally Richard Grenell was put in charge to “fix” things. But his idea of fixing has been to remove anything he sees as “woke.” He said the center needed “a different focus” and promised to push more Christian shows. During a radio interview, Grenell bragged that staff members were “ecstatic” and “dying for a change.”
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He blamed the fall in attendance on what he called “crazy left” programming. But the numbers say something else. The Washington Post found a 36% drop in sales compared to last year. Entire shows have been moved into smaller theaters just to hide the empty seats.
One insider told the paper the decline was “shocking.” They said the real situation is even worse because it doesn’t count the canceled shows or weak ticket sales that forced productions to downsize.
Michael Kaiser, who once ran the Kennedy Center, warned that the damage will last. “Depressed ticket sales not only cause a shortfall in revenue,” he said, “they also bode unfavorably for future fundraising revenue.” He explained that most donors are ticket buyers first, and when they stop coming, the donations stop too.
That loss could hit hard. During Kaiser’s time in charge, there were about 40,000 donors. Those donations built the programs, paid the staff, and kept the art alive. Now it seems that the foundation is starting to crumble.
Grenell keeps insisting that the center is thriving. He pointed to the Kennedy Center gala, saying half the guests had “never been to a gala before.” He called it proof that “new people” were joining in. But to many, that just means the old supporters have walked away.
The new shows like Les Misérables, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Stuttgart Ballet were supposed to fill the house. But ticket numbers show otherwise. The National Symphony Orchestra’s “Evening of Beethoven” had over 2,000 empty seats each night. The musical Parade had to be moved to a smaller hall where 43% of seats were still empty.
Featured image via YouTube Screengrab
