Kennedy Center Honors moved from traditional venue for first time
The Kennedy Center Honors will be staged at Washington’s Capital One Arena on 7 December, marking the first time the ceremony has left the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts since the awards began in 1978. The annual event, considered one of the leading US distinctions for achievement in the performing arts, has traditionally taken place in the center’s Opera House. This year’s honorees have not yet been announced.
The relocation comes as the landmark remains closed and its future is contested in Congress and the courts. Donald Trump has threatened to demolish the facility and ordered its immediate closure, warning that he could cancel planned renovations unless courts allow his name to appear on the building. His appointed board has cited financial and safety concerns, while the center has also faced falling ticket sales and protests over his influence on programming.
The board voted in December to add Trump’s name, but US district judge Christopher Cooper ordered its removal in May, ruling that the venue was established to honor president John F Kennedy alone. Cooper has also required the administration to give at least 30 days’ notice before moving to tear it down. A bipartisan bill requiring congressional approval for demolition was blocked by Republican senator Mike Lee.
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