Kennedy Center Is Having a Hard Time Selling Seats

The Washington Post has taken a deep dive into ticket sales at the Kennedy Center in DC since President Trump took over the institution in February, and the results might be summed up in one word: Bleak.

• Roughly 43% of seats have gone unsold for a typical production since early September, compared to 7% last year and 20% in 2023.
• In the 45-day period analyzed, more than 50,000 seats went unsold, with overall spending on tickets down more than 50% from the prior year—a drop not seen since the pandemic of 2020.

• Empty seats are now a regular sight, with several major shows, including National Symphony Orchestra concerts, drawing particularly sparse crowds.
• The center's new management—under the direction of Trump ally Richard Grenell—has increased Christian programming and dismissed or lost several programming executives, but the core offerings of theater and orchestra remain similar to past years.
• Kennedy Center officials didn't comment, but Trump himself has been encouraging people to attend what he promises "will soon be the finest Arts and Entertainment Center anywhere in the World" on Truth Social.
• One fear: The declining numbers will have a downward spiral effect: "Depressed ticket sales not only cause a shortfall in revenue; they also bode unfavorably for future fundraising revenue," wrote Michael Kaiser, former president of the organization.