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Historic performing arts center has faced a deluge of cancelations from artists amid Donald Trump’s controversial takeover
Inga Parkel in New York Saturday 17 January 2026 17:36 GMT- Bookmark
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CloseRelated: Trump claims he's surprised after Trump-appointed board (illegally) renames it the Trump-Kennedy Center
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The Martha Graham Dance Company has announced it will no longer be performing at the Kennedy Center in April, joining a slew of other cancelations at the historic performing arts center in the wake of Donald Trump’s controversial takeover.
On Friday, the legendary dance troupe — America’s oldest — embarked on its centennial nationwide tour, with a scheduled stop at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. this spring.
However, in a statement shared the same day, the company said: “The Martha Graham Dance Company regrets that we are unable to perform at the Kennedy Center in April. We hope to perform at the center in the future.”
The troupe didn’t provide a reason for its cancelation, yet it comes nearly a month after the center’s Trump-appointed board voted to rebrand the institution to Trump-Kennedy Center. The building’s signage was quickly altered to reflect the change, leading to outrage among Kennedy family members and Democratic lawmakers, with some experts even suggesting the change could be potentially illegal.
The Independent has contacted The Martha Graham Dance Company for comment.
open image in galleryThe Martha Graham Dance Company is America's oldest dance troupe (AFP via Getty Images)
open image in galleryThe Kennedy Center has been hit with a slew of cancellations amid Donald Trump's controversial takeover (AFP via Getty Images)In February 2025, following his return to office, Trump ousted Kennedy Center board members he had not appointed and added several new members, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Second Lady Usha Vance. The president said he is on a mission to remove “woke” programming.
Many prominent artists, including actor and comedian Issa Rae and musician Peter Wolf, have since withdrawn from their Kennedy Center appearances in protest.
Just last week, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sonia De Los Santos pulled out of her upcoming appearances at the center. The Mexican American artist, whose 2018 release ¡Alegría! received a Latin Grammy nomination for best children’s album, was expected to give two concerts for young people next month, alongside a “creative conversation” with the audience.
She explained her cancelation on Instagram, writing: “As an artist, I treasure the freedom to create and share my music, and for many years I have used this privilege to uplift the stories of immigrants in this country.
“Unfortunately, I do not feel that the current climate at this beloved venue represents a welcoming space for myself, my band, or our audience.”
Meanwhile, the Washington National Opera also announced its “decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity.”
open image in galleryThe signage changed at the storied institution in December (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)The WNO said in a statement to the Washington Post that support previously provided by the venue had been eliminated, and productions would now be required to be fully funded in advance.
Artistic director Francesca Zambello said that she was “deeply saddened” to leave. “I have been proud to be affiliated with a national monument to the human spirit, a place that has long served as an inviting home for our ever-growing family of artists and opera lovers,” she told the Post.
“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision.”
The company said its board of trustees voted to move all its upcoming performances out of the Kennedy Center’s 2,364-seat Opera House, with the intention to find new locations in Washington, D.C. No leases have been signed as of writing.
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