"Nearly nine months after President Donald Trump installed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center and tapped loyalist Richard Grenell to run operations, ticket sales at the nation's premier performing-arts venue have cratered, according to a Washington Post analysis of internal and public data. Trump and Grenell loudly blamed the Center's previous leadership for weak programming and financial mismanagement Grenell declaring in March that it was too woke and niche and Trump promising a hot new era."
"According to the Post, from Sept. 3 to Oct. 19, nearly 43% of seats at the Kennedy Center's three largest venues the Opera House, Concert Hall, and Eisenhower Theater remained unsold for the typical production. That marks a dramatic shift from the same period in 2024, when only 7% of seats were available, meaning roughly 93% were sold or comped."
"This downturn isn't just about pricing or programming it feels directly tied to the new regime's leadership shift and the broader political climate, said a current Kennedy Center staff member to the Post. I've heard from ticket buyers who say they're choosing not to attend because of what the Kennedy Center now represents. The brand itself has become polarizing, which is unprecedented in my experience. Staff members also told the Post that ticket sales immediately plunged, dropping about 50%, after Trump announced he would take control of the Kennedy Center."
Nine months after Donald Trump became chair and Richard Grenell assumed operations, ticket sales at the Kennedy Center fell to multi-year lows. From Sept. 3 to Oct. 19, nearly 43% of seats at the Opera House, Concert Hall, and Eisenhower Theater remained unsold versus about 7% in 2024. Ticket spending dropped by more than half in September and early October compared with 2024, the sharpest revenue decline since 2018 aside from pandemic closures. Staff reported an immediate roughly 50% sales drop after the leadership change, several programming chiefs departed, Christian-themed free events increased, and some artists declined to appear.
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