Award-winning singer and musician Rhiannon Giddens has decided to cancel her upcoming performance at the Kennedy Center. This move follows the upheaval at the center since President Donald Trump forced out its leadership and became the chair of the board of trustees. Trump’s involvement with the Kennedy Center is part of his broader push against “woke” culture.
Giddens announced on social media that her show, originally scheduled for May 11, 2025, at the Kennedy Center, would be moved to The Anthem, another venue in Washington, D.C. She explained that the Kennedy Center performance was arranged long before the current administration took over the institution, which had previously been bipartisan.
Known for her eclectic roots music style, Giddens co-founded the Carolina Chocolate Drops and has worked on various collaborations, including the Grammy-winning album They’re Calling Me Home with Francesco Turrisi. In 2022, she contributed to writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar and is also a recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” grant.
Actor Issa Rae, author Louise Penny, and the rock band Low Cut Connie have also canceled their planned performances at the Kennedy Center. Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Victoria Clark proceeded with her show on February 15, but wore a T-shirt on stage that read “ANTI TRUMP AF.”
The Kennedy Center, a large complex funded by government support and private donations, attracts millions of visitors annually. Standing 100 feet tall, it includes a concert hall, opera house, theater, lecture hall, meeting spaces, and the “Millennium Stage,” which has hosted free performances.
Before Trump’s presidency, it was customary for presidents to attend the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, even when artists with differing political views were present.