Kennedy Center cancels LGBTQ+ Pride events to align with new priorities after Trump fired center’s leadership
The Kennedy Center has made the decision to cancel a week’s worth of events that were scheduled to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community as part of the World Pride festival in Washington, D.C. This move comes amid a change in focus and the recent firing of the center’s leadership by the Trump administration. Multiple artists and producers involved in the center’s Tapestry of Pride schedule have reported that their events have been quietly canceled or transferred to other venues. The Tapestry of Pride was originally planned to take place from June 5 to 8 before the cancellation.
Washington’s Capital Pride Alliance has disassociated itself from the Kennedy Center in response to the canceled events. June Crenshaw, the alliance’s deputy director, expressed disappointment over the situation but also noted the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community in finding alternative ways to celebrate. She stated, \”We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate. We are finding another path to the celebration … but the fact that we have to maneuver in this way is disappointing.\”
The Kennedy Center’s website still features a section for Tapestry of Pride, but details regarding the events have been removed. The cancellations occurred amidst significant changes at the Kennedy Center, including the firing of both the president and chairman by President Trump in February. Following these dismissals, Trump appointed himself as the new chairman of the institution after replacing most of the board with his own loyalists.
The World Pride event is a biennial celebration, and this year’s festivities are scheduled to run from May 17 through June 8 with performances and celebrations planned across Washington, D.C. However, concerns have arisen about the reception that attendees may receive in light of the Trump administration’s policies targeting transgender individuals and comments made about drag performances at the Kennedy Center.
Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, shared his experience of having his June 5 performance at the Kennedy Center abruptly canceled following Trump’s takeover of the institution. Despite the cancellation, Roest was able to relocate the performance to the Strathmore theater in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. He emphasized that without a public statement of inclusivity from the Kennedy Center’s administration, most queer artists would likely choose to perform elsewhere.
In response to the canceled events, some activities such as drag story time and a display of parts of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be relocated to the World Pride welcome center in Chinatown. Monica Alford, an event planner and journalist, also shared her disappointment after experiencing a sudden halt in communication regarding her planned event as part of Tapestry of Pride. Alford, who has a history of organizing events at the Kennedy Center, expressed her disappointment at losing the partnership she had established with the institution.
The decision to cancel events celebrating the LGBTQ+ community at the Kennedy Center has sparked concern and disappointment among artists, producers, and members of the community. Despite these setbacks, efforts are being made to find alternative ways to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community during the World Pride festival.
