Former President Donald Trump has appointed Ric Grenell, the former acting director of national intelligence, as the interim president of the Kennedy Center, sparking controversy and backlash from the arts community and longtime patrons. Established in 1971 as a national hub for the arts and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, the center now faces protests as performers cancel shows, donors reconsider their support, and audiences threaten boycotts in response to Grenell’s pledge to “make art great again.”
In an article published by The Guardian, Kerry Kennedy, President John F. Kennedy’s niece and president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, gave a statement on takeover of the center, stating:
“That’s very dangerous for democracy and has grave implications for what will happen not just at the Kennedy Center but for government funding of the arts across the country.”
Read the full article here.
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