Organizers and artists are racing to find new venues after the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts unexpectedly canceled a week of events celebrating LGBTQ+ rights, which were tied to this summer’s World Pride festival in Washington, D.C.
The cancellations come in the wake of a major leadership shakeup at the iconic institution, orchestrated by President Donald Trump, and have sparked a strong backlash within the LGBTQ+ community.
This decision follows President Trump’s February dismissal of the Kennedy Center’s president and chairman, replacing them with political allies who subsequently elected Trump as the center’s new chairman. These changes have raised concerns over how LGBTQ+ issues will be represented, especially considering the administration’s stance on transgender rights and Trump’s outspoken criticism of drag performances.
Several artists and producers reported that events planned under the Kennedy Center’s “Tapestry of Pride” program, scheduled for June 5-8, were either quietly canceled or relocated. In response, Washington’s Capital Pride Alliance officially severed its ties with the Kennedy Center. “We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate,” said June Crenshaw, deputy director of the alliance. “It’s disappointing that we have to maneuver like this, but we will find another way to celebrate.”
Although the Kennedy Center’s website still lists “Tapestry of Pride” with limited details, no specific event information is provided.
Michael Roest, founder of the International Pride Orchestra, said his group’s June 5 performance was abruptly canceled just after Trump’s leadership change. Roest had been finalizing the concert for months, only to receive a brief email stating, “We are no longer able to advance your contract at this time.”
Monica Alford, an event planner who previously worked with the Kennedy Center, also experienced an abrupt end to communication. Alford, who had organized a rooftop drag brunch at the Kennedy Center in 2024, was planning a family-friendly event for June 8 but now mourns the loss of the relationship. “It’s a disservice to our community—both the queer community and the broader one,” she said.
In February, the Kennedy Center also canceled a concert by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. Roest mentioned that the International Pride Orchestra would no longer consider performing at the Kennedy Center without a significant, public statement of inclusivity from the new administration. “Otherwise, it’s a hostile performance space,” he stated.
Trump, on February 7, wrote on Truth Social that he had decided to remove multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, as part of his plan to “make the Kennedy Center GREAT AGAIN.” He emphasized that the Kennedy Center must reflect the “brightest STARS” from across the nation.
As a result of the cancellations, the International Pride Orchestra has moved its performance to the Strathmore theater in Bethesda, Maryland. Other events, including a drag story time and an AIDS Memorial Quilt display, will now be held at World Pride’s welcome center in Chinatown.
