Kennedy Center CANCELS LGBT Events

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., has made headlines by canceling an entire week of LGBT-focused events known as the “Tapestry of Pride.”

For years, the Kennedy Center shifted into a prominent platform for promoting woke causes, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and events tied to the global LGBT movement. However, this decision to cancel the events signals a seismic shift in the institution’s direction under new leadership appointed by President Donald Trump.

The “Tapestry of Pride” event, intended to celebrate the biennial World Pride festival, a global event promoting LGBT ideology, included a drag queen story hour for children, performances by the International Pride Orchestra, and a display of an AIDS Memorial Quilt – all of which, have been cancelled.

The move towards the institution’s restoration is due to President Trump’s sweeping reforms aimed at bringing the Center’s focus back to celebrating traditional American culture.

How Did We Get Here?

The Kennedy Center, established in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, has long been regarded as the nation’s premier cultural institution. It serves as the home of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, and a stage for legendary performers, from pianist Van Cliburn to country icon Johnny Cash.

The Center’s mission has traditionally been to foster artistic excellence and celebrate the diversity of American creativity. In recent years, however, the Center’s programming took a sharp turn toward social activism.

In 2019, the Kennedy Center launched its Social Impact program, prioritizing DEI as core pillars of its operations.

According to Marc Joseph, Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact at the time, the program was designed to be “woven throughout our efforts at the Kennedy Center” in pursuit of a “national ambition to be systemically anti-racist and structurally inclusive.”

This shift saw the Center host events like drag queen story hours, politically charged lectures, and festivals celebrating progressive causes, including the “Tapestry of Pride.”

Whilst these initiatives were praised by some as inclusive, they alienated a significant portion of the Center’s traditional audience. The result? Attendance plummeted, and the institution’s financial health deteriorated, dramatically.

In Fiscal Year 2025, the Kennedy Center is operating on a $234 million budget but had an operating deficit of $105.2 million dollars, which left a bottom-line deficit of $7.2 million dollars.

The debt amassed thanks to mismanagement and the prioritization of ideological programming over artistic excellence. The phrase “go woke, go broke” became a reality for the Center.

What Did Trump Do?

Upon taking office, President Trump wasted no time addressing the Kennedy Center’s troubles.

In a bold move, he dismissed the Center’s existing leadership, replaced the entire board, and appointed himself as chairman to oversee its revitalization. To lead the institution on an interim basis, Trump selected Ric Grenell, a prominent conservative and former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, who is openly gay.

Grenell’s appointment was seen as a strategic choice, signaling that the administration’s reforms were not rooted in animus toward the LGBT community, but rather, in a desire to refocus the Center on its core mission.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump outlined his vision for the Kennedy Center’s future: “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel… It must reflect the brightest STARS from across our Nation. We don’t need woke at the Kennedy Center, and we will restore its place as a beacon of true art and culture.”

Under Grenell’s interim leadership, the Center has begun to pivot away from polarizing programming.

The cancellation of the “Tapestry of Pride” is just one of several changes aimed at restoring the institution’s reputation as a neutral, inclusive space for all Americans.
Drag queen story hours have been eliminated, and DEI-driven initiatives are being scaled back. Instead, the Center is planning to highlight performances that celebrate American traditions, from classical music and ballet to folk and jazz, whilst showcasing emerging artists from diverse backgrounds.

A Broader Cultural Shift

The Kennedy Center’s transformation is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to recalibrate federal institutions that have embraced progressive ideologies.

The Center’s prior focus on DEI and social justice came at the expense of its primary role: to serve as a unifying cultural hub for the nation.

Hopefully, the Center’s new direction will ensure that it is, once again, a place where Americans of all backgrounds can gather to celebrate the arts without the overlay of political agendas.

Why Removing Wokeness Matters for Christians

For the believer, the Center’s move to eliminate “woke” programming aligns with biblical values that emphasize traditional family structures and moral teachings.

Events like drag queen story hours stand in direct contradiction to scripture and the removal of them is critical. By refocusing on art that avoids ideological agendas, the Center is being refocused on ensuring cultural spaces reflect that which is good and right and true.

The prioritization of universal artistic themes that inspire and unite rather than divide is also important to the whole of a nation.

“Wokeness” is the new cultural religion whose tenants emphasize partisan causes. So in the removal of wokeness, a path is being made for the celebration of beauty and transcendence in the arts.

In celebrating our shared American heritage through music, dance, and storytelling, the Kennedy Center is getting back to its roots of creating a welcoming environment where all Americans, Christians and otherwise, can engage with America’s culture; a culture formed upon Judeo Christian values.

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