After Trump Takeover, Kennedy Center Ticket Sales Fall Sharply

Ticket sales and subscription revenue at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have fallen sharply since President Trump made himself chairman in February, according to data compiled by employees that was obtained by The New York Times.

Single-ticket sales were down roughly 50 percent in April and May, compared with the same period in 2024, according to the data. Subscriptions, traditionally an important source of revenue, have also declined significantly this season: Revenue was down 82 percent for theater and 57 percent for dance.

At the National Symphony Orchestra, one of the Kennedy Center’s flagship ensembles, subscriptions declined by 28 percent, the data showed. At Washington National Opera, subscriptions were down 25 percent. In total, subscription revenue was projected at $2.7 million in the coming fiscal year, compared with $4.4 million this year.

The numbers were confirmed by a Kennedy Center employee, who was granted anonymity because the information was considered confidential.

The Kennedy Center disputed the relevance of the data on Tuesday, saying the center had changed some aspects of how it marketed and structured subscriptions recently, including by starting its campaign later than usual.

“Our renewal campaign is just kicking off and our hard-copy season brochures have not yet hit homes,” Kim Cooper, the Kennedy Center’s senior vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “Our patrons wait for our new season brochures and renewal campaigns to take action.”