An individual walks a canine in entrance of the Kennedy Middle in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 10, 2026.
Mandel Ngan/AFP by way of Getty Photos
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Mandel Ngan/AFP by way of Getty Photos
An inner e-mail obtained by NPR particulars a few of the projected refurbishments deliberate for the John F. Kennedy Middle for the Performing Arts. The renovations are extra modest in scale and scope than what President Trump has publicly outlined for the revamped arts middle, and it’s unclear whether or not or not these plans are the extent of the supposed renovations.
The e-mail was despatched on Feb. 2 by Brooks Boeke, the director of the Associates of the Kennedy Middle volunteer program, to tour leaders and a few staffers on the arts advanced. In a response to NPR emailed Tuesday, Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Middle’s vice chairman of public relations, wrote: “The Trump Kennedy Middle has been fully clear concerning the renovations wanted to revive and revitalize the establishment, ever since these proposals had been unveiled for Congressional approval final summer time. The modifications that the Middle will endure as a part of this intensive beautification and restoration challenge are vital to saving the constructing, enhancing the patron expertise and reworking America’s cultural middle right into a world-class vacation spot.”
The middle’s closure was introduced after many outstanding artists canceled their deliberate appearances, saying that the Trump administration had politicized the humanities. The Washington Nationwide Opera, which had been a resident group on the Kennedy Middle, left its residence there final month, citing a “financially difficult relationship” below the middle’s present management; The Washington Submit, in an evaluation of Kennedy Middle ticket gross sales final October, reported that ticket gross sales had plummeted since Trump grew to become the middle’s chairman – even earlier than the advanced’s board renamed the venue because the Trump-Kennedy Middle in December.
In her memo, Boeke cited Carissa Faroughi, the Kennedy Middle’s director of this system administration workplace. Boeke mentioned that upcoming renovations to the advanced’s Live performance Corridor will embody changing seating and putting in marble armrests, which President Trump touted on his Fact Social platform in December as “not like something ever achieved or seen earlier than!” Different modifications embody new carpeting, substitute of the wooden flooring on the Live performance Corridor stage and “strategic portray.”
The deliberate modifications to the Grand Lobby, Corridor of States and Corridor of Nations embody a change of coloration scheme, from the present crimson carpeting and seating to “black with a gold sample.” The carpeting and furnishings in these three areas and its electrical shops had been redone simply two years in the past, in keeping with the Kennedy Middle, and had been completed with out interrupting performances and programming.
Different deliberate work on the advanced embody upgrades of the HVAC, security and electrical methods in addition to bettering parking. It’s unclear whether or not these plans are the extent of the supposed renovations; Daravi declined to reply that particular query.
The scope of the challenge as outlined within the memo differs sharply from public statements by President Trump, who mentioned earlier this month on social media and in exchanges with the press that he intends a “full rebuilding” and large-scale modifications to the Kennedy Middle, and that the humanities advanced is “dilapidated” and “harmful” in its present state.
Earlier this month, Trump mentioned {that a} two-year shutdown of the Kennedy Middle is critical to execute these renovations. This concept was echoed by the middle’s president, Richard Grenell. Grenell wrote on X that the Kennedy Middle “desperately wants this renovation and quickly closing the Middle simply is sensible – it’ll allow us to raised make investments our sources, suppose larger and make the historic renovations extra complete.”
On Feb. 1, Trump introduced his plans to shut the middle completely for 2 years “for Building, Revitalization, and Full Rebuilding” to create what he mentioned “could be, with out query, the best Performing Arts Facility of its sort, wherever within the World.” He later mentioned that the challenge would price round $200 million. The announcement got here after many outstanding artists had canceled their present scheduled appearances on the Kennedy Middle.
