The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. will close for two years starting in July, US President Donald Trump has announced. He said the center will shut its doors on July 4 of this year “in honor of the 250th anniversary of our country.”
The decision comes after several artists canceled performances at the historic venue following its recent renaming as the Trump Kennedy Center.
The Kennedy Center typically hosts more than 2,000 shows per year, including its annual honors ceremony, which celebrates artists who have made significant contributions to American culture. President Trump appointed himself as the center’s new chairman and proposed radical changes to how the venerable institution is run.
So, just how, exactly, did the Kennedy Center evolve, and what does Trump’s takeover mean for the arts in general? Click through and raise the curtain over the Kennedy Center.