Latest news with #KennedyCenterforthePerformingArts
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kennedy Center sees ticket sales fall dramatically amid Trump intervention
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has reportedly seen subscription sales fall by about $1.6m – or roughly 36% – compared with 2024 amid Donald Trump's having appointed himself to lead the institution. The center has made less than $2.7m as of the start of June through subscriptions to its theater, dance, classical and other seasons of performances. The center had generated more than $4.4m by this point a year earlier, according to data obtained by the Washington Post. The Post says that sales data was collected and shared by former Kennedy Center employees. The data was confirmed by a current staff member, who spoke to the Post on the condition of anonymity. Related: Arts groups for people of color steel themselves after Trump's NEA cuts: 'They poked the bear' Though the subscription data is only one source of revenue for the center, it could serve as an overall indicator of public standing. Other sources of revenue include donations, individual ticket sales and government funding. The Washington DC-based center's budget for operation was $268m in 2024. About $125m of that came from earned revenue, such as ticket sales, the Post reported. The employee who leaked the data told the paper: 'We understand providing information like this can be seen in a bad light. But we feel that it is necessary to show that mismanagement by the new leadership is becoming a real problem for the health of the organization.' The employee added that 'we feel that we no longer have a choice but to force complete transparency with the public' after several staffers were ignored or outright fired for their opinions. Trump's appointing himself to be the chairperson of the Kennedy Center in February – less than a month into his second presidency – has ensnared the institution in controversy. He has since reshaped the center's governing board with his own appointees. And the center's former president, Deborah Rutter, has been replaced by the Trump ally Richard Grenell. A boycott by Les Misérables cast members was the latest in a string of stars pulling out of shows and positions at the center since Trump assumed control. Several shows have been called off, including a stop of the Hamilton tour that was canceled by the production itself, and Finn, a coming-of-age story about a young shark, which was canceled by the Kennedy Center. Trump had previously posted on social media expressing his desire to eliminate 'drag shows' and 'woke' content from the venue but did not clarify which productions he was targeting.
Travel Weekly
19 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Travel Weekly
Focus on LGBTQ+ travel: A chill in the air for Pride
Vancouver's Nelson heard similar feedback from clients about WorldPride — including from his U.S.-based clients. 'A lot of people are worried that it's not going to be the WorldPride that everybody thought it would be during the Biden years leading up to it,' he said, citing factors like several WorldPride events being canceled at the Kennedy Center and the number of corporate sponsors that dropped out due to the Trump administration's executive order to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in both public and private settings. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington was scheduled to host several World Pride 2025 events that have been moved to other venues. (Photo by Ron Blunt) The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington was scheduled to host several World Pride 2025 events that have been moved to other venues. (Photo by Ron Blunt) Nelson said that, instead, his Canadian and American clients made plans to celebrate Pride at events in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. And, he added, it's not just WorldPride. Nelson estimated that about 90% of his Canadian clients don't want to go the U.S. at all this year. 'It's Gay Days at Disney, it's going down to Palm Springs for their Pride celebrations or to Louisiana for Halloween or to Chicago for International Mr. Leather,' he said. 'All those things are off the table. One, because of the rhetoric but also the safety concerns of being in large areas where somebody may try and do something terrible.' Paez has gotten similar hesitancy about the U.S. overall, with his Australian clients who regularly do trips to Europe and the U.S. — trips that usually end in West Hollywood or Palm Springs, Calif., or in Hawaii — booking only Europe this year. 'For now, I think it may be a wait-and-see on a range of issues for many within our community to consider traveling to the USA,' he said. Some of their concerns are the same ones that have led to major downturns from Canada and Western Europe this year: stories of travelers being detained at U.S. borders for seemingly minor visa issues, tariff threats and rhetoric from the White House about making Canada and Greenland states. But for the LGBTQ+ community, the concerns are deeper and have to do with safety and legal protections. In the first two weeks of Trump's second term, several executive orders rolled back protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly targeting trans people who, for instance, indicate a different gender than the one assigned at birth on their passports. Others included anti-DEI measures and ones that weakened laws against discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation. Beyond that, nine states have bills under consideration that challenge marriage equality. 'We are hearing some hesitation, mainly from clients concerned about anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in certain states or broader political tensions,' said Out of Office's Rowe. 'Safety and feeling welcome remain top priorities for us when curating trips for our clients.' Community Marketing & Insights (CMI), which has fielded the LGBTQ Tourism & Hospitality Survey for the past 25 years, found that those attributes are the most important ones for LGBTQ+ travelers. In its most recent survey, from 2024, CMI said that while a destination does not need to have 'LGBTQ-specific' attractions, it does need to have a reputation for being welcoming to LGBTQ+ visitors. Among respondents, 83% said it is important that a destination be LGBTQ-welcoming, and more than 90% said that anti-LGBTQ laws or policies impact their travel decisions.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kennedy Center Dealt Tough Sales News In First Half of 2025
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has experienced a downturn in subscriptions sales through the first part of 2025. According to internal numbers obtained by the Washington Post, the center has logged $2,656,524 in sales as of June 1, plus $155,243 from a new mix-and-match package. That is a sizable drop--around 36%--from the $4,413,147 it generated up to this point in 2024. The data encompasses all of the center's performances across theater, dance, classical music, and youth genres. The subscription packages are a portion of the institution's overall revenue, which also includes donations, individual ticket sales, government funding and other sources. According to an anonymous staff member who leaked the figures, current and former Kennedy Center workers are blaming the drop in sales on the change in leadership under President Donald Trump, who took control of the center in February and was appointed chair. Trump then replaced the institution's longtime president with Richard Grenell, a member of Trump's cabinet during his first term in office and the administration's special presidential envoy for special missions. Additionally, Donna Arduin Kauranen became the center's new CFO. 'We understand providing information like this can be seen in a bad light,' the current staffer told the Post. 'But we feel that it is necessary to show that mismanagement by the new leadership is becoming a real problem for the health of the organization." Theater subscriptions have seen the steepest decline, down 82% from last year through the first two weeks of the campaign. Dance and ballet subscriptions have dropped 57%, while youth performances are down 85%. Classical music subscriptions have also declined, albeit at a slower rate. Additionally, several high-profile shows, such as Hamilton, have been canceled since Trump's appointment. "Ticket buyers, subscribers, and donors have spoken with their wallets, not against a Republican being in charge, but against the hostile takeover of their performing arts center," said the anonymous staff member. Kennedy Center Dealt Tough Sales News In First Half of 2025 first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2025
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kennedy Center vice president says he was fired after past writings, statements questioned
A former vice president at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts says he was fired by the organization following a CNN investigation into his previous comments on gay marriage. Floyd Brown, who served as the center's top fundraiser for only several weeks, wrote in a social media post this week he was fired after being contacted by a CNN reporter inquiring about his comments on his personal website and other platforms criticizing homosexuality and floating conspiracy theories about former President Obama. 'Comments rooted in my personal Christian views, which I have made in the past, have no impact upon my work here at the Kennedy Center nor do they impinge on my interactions with colleagues who do incredible work for the patrons of the Center,' Brown wrote in a statement he said he provided to CNN and included in his post on social platform X. 'As a Christian I am called to work with others of different beliefs and worldviews.' Brown said he asked for an explanation for his firing and to speak with Richard Grenell, a President Trump ally and the interim Kennedy Center president, but 'both of those requests have been ignored.' 'My only conclusion is [Grenell] was intimidated by a CNN story … so he preemptively fired me for my Christian beliefs on marriage,' Brown said. The CNN story laid out Brown's history of attacking Republican leaders and activists for an 'acceptance of the open promotion of the gay lifestyle inside the tent of conservatism' and comments calling gay marriage 'a hoax' and 'godless.' A representative for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Brown's dismissal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Kennedy Center vice president says he was fired after past writings, statements questioned
A former vice president at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts says he was fired by the organization following a CNN investigation into his previous comments on gay marriage. Floyd Brown, who served as the center's top fundraiser for only several weeks, wrote in a social media post this week he was fired after being contacted by a CNN reporter inquiring about his comments on his personal website and other platforms criticizing homosexuality and floating conspiracy theories about former President Barack Obama. 'Comments rooted in my personal Christian views, which I have made in the past, have no impact upon my work here at the Kennedy Center nor do they impinge on my interactions with colleagues who do incredible work for the patrons of the Center,' Brown wrote in a statement he said he provided to CNN and included in his post on X. 'As a Christian I am called to work with others of different beliefs and worldviews.' Brown said he asked for an explanation for his firing and to speak with Richard Grenell, a Trump ally and interim Kennedy Center president, but 'both of those requests have been ignored.' 'My only conclusion is [Grenell] was intimidated by a CNN story … so he preemptively fired me for my Christian beliefs on marriage,' Brown said. The CNN story laid out Brown's history of attacking Republican leaders and activists for an 'acceptance of the open promotion of the gay lifestyle inside the tent of conservatism,' and comments calling gay marriage 'a hoax,' and 'godless.' A representative for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Brown's dismissal.
