Kennedy Center ticket sales fall to lowest in years after Trump’s takeover

Ticket sales for the Kennedy Center’s three largest performance spaces have reportedly fallen to their lowest level in years after Donald Trump’s takeover of the performing arts institution earlier this year, according to a new analysis from the Washington Post.

The Post reported on Friday that it collected and analyzed ticket sales data from 3 September to 19 October and found that about 43% of tickets for typical productions remained unsold. In comparison, the Post reported that about 93% of tickets were sold or issued on a complimentary basis in the fall of 2024 and 80% in the fall of 2023.

The analysis found that the decline has hit all three of the center’s major venues: the Opera House, the Concert Hall and the Eisenhower Theater.

The Kennedy Center did not respond to requests for comment from the Washington Post or the Guardian.

In an emailed statement to the Post, Michael Kaiser, who served as president of the Kennedy Center from 2001 to 2014, warned that “depressed ticket sales not only cause a shortfall in revenue; they also bode unfavorably for future fundraising revenue”.

“The vast majority of donors are ticket buyers who are anxious to enhance their relationships with the organization by making contributions in addition to paying for their tickets,” Kaiser said.

The Post pointed to several possible factors that could be behind the slump. The outlet noted that Broadway musical theater ticket sales have also dipped and reported that the Trump administration’s recent national guard deployment in Washington DC has “hurt both tourism and nightlife” in the area. The report adds that many former Kennedy Center patrons have pledged to boycott the institution while Trump serves as chair.

Trump appointed himself chair of the Kennedy Center board in February, and replaced the board of trustees, sparking controversy within the arts community.

The week after the announcement, several staff members told the Washington Post that ticket sales had dropped by roughly 50%, compared with the previous week.

In June, it was reported that subscription sales had dropped by about $1.6m, or roughly 36%, compared with 2024 levels. Then, in early September, an analysis by the Washingtonian magazine found that ticket sales at the center were continuing to fall, with audiences “voting with their feet to skip out” on shows in protest of Trump’s takeover.

Some performers have also joined the boycott. Since Trump took control, a number of prominent artists have also dissociated themselves from the center and several productions have been called off, including a stop of the Hamilton tour that was canceled by the production itself.

In May, some cast members of Les Misérables pulled out of performance at the center to protest of Trump’s planned attendance.