NEW YORK — The celebrated music artist Rhiannon Giddens has joined a growing list of performers opting out of events at the Kennedy Center. This comes amid continuing turmoil following the institution’s recent shift in leadership under President Donald Trump, who now heads the board of trustees. This intervention is part of Trump’s broader strategy against what he deems as “woke” culture.
Giddens announced her decision to cancel the performance scheduled for May 11, 2025, at the Kennedy Center through a social media statement. She explained her choice to relocate the show to The Anthem, another venue located in Washington, D.C. She attributed this decision to the Kennedy Center’s controversial change in administration, which she noted was originally a nonpartisan organization.
Giddens is renowned for her diverse contributions to roots music as a co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and her collaboration with Francesco Turrisi on the Grammy-winning project “They’re Calling Me Home.” Her repertoire extends further with the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera “Omar,” and she has been recognized with a MacArthur “Genius” grant.
A variety of other distinguished talents have similarly withdrawn from Kennedy Center engagements. These include actor Issa Rae, author Louise Penny, and the band Low Cut Connie. While some like singer-songwriter Victoria Clark proceeded with their performances, Clark donned an “ANTI TRUMP AF” T-shirt during her show on February 15 to convey her stance.
The Kennedy Center, both a federally funded and privately supported institution, is a significant cultural landmark drawing millions of visitors annually. It comprises a vast complex with facilities such as a concert hall, opera house, theater, lecture hall, and meeting spaces. Notably, its “Millennium Stage” serves as a venue for free public performances.
Traditionally, the Kennedy Center honors ceremony has seen attendance from sitting presidents, irrespective of political differences with the artists present. This practice continued until the current administration’s first term, marking a shift in customary presidential engagements with the arts.
