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A petition hosted on MoveOn and created by Qommittee is calling on “Major Donors & Supporters of the Kennedy Center” to suspend giving “until artistic independence is restored” and to redirect support to “banned or censored artists, artforms and the infrastructure that supports artistic freedom.”
On the petition page, organizers describe their effort as a response to what they call “President Trump’s … Kennedy Center takeover, censorship and drag ban,” and they claim the fallout has included artist cancellations, resignations, and a 50% drop in ticket sales. The petition currently has 101,386 signatures as of noon on January 12th, with a goal of 200,000 signatures.
Qommittee describes itself as “a national network of drag artists, fans and organizers” focused on helping drag artists “survive hate and censorship and thrive at the business of their art.”
The petition arrives amid continued public attention on the Kennedy Center’s direction and finances. In a report this fall, The Washington Post said ticket sales dropped by 50% in the week after President Trump announced plans to take over the institution, and reported that subscriptions to major seasons were down by 36%, citing internal data obtained by the outlet.
BroadwayWorld reported last week that following a series of performance cancellations, the Washington National Opera would end its affiliation with the Kennedy Center, citing structural and financial changes following the takeover.
BroadwayWorld previously reported Sonia De Los Santos would no longer perform at the Kennedy Center. In December, the board announced plans to rebrand the venue as the Trump-Kennedy Center, a move that scholars have said would require congressional approval. The announcement prompted additional cancellations, including jazz musician Chuck Redd and jazz ensemble The Cookers, who withdrew from scheduled holiday performances.
Additional recent cancellations include Béla Fleck with the National Symphony Orchestra and Stephen Schwartz, who was expected to host an opera gala.
