In Washington, temples to Trump’s ego lie ruined. And another is on the way

September 21, 2026 — 11:49am

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It was deathly quiet outside the John F. Kennedy Memorial Centre for the Performing Arts on Friday afternoon. Ordinarily, the storied cultural institution would have been preparing for an evening of performances: an opera, perhaps, or musical theatre.

Instead, the building was closed, its white Italian marble exterior surrounded by scaffolding, temporary chain-link fences and security guards patrolling the perimeter.

The Kennedy Centre – so named for the assassinated Democratic president – was abruptly shuttered last week following a vote by its board. The board is chaired by President Donald Trump, who gutted the previous board and installed loyalists with the explicit intent of making him chair.

The centre’s closure did not change much, in practical terms. The only programming on Friday night was a free, unticketed show by “master illusionist” Michael Grandinetti, which proceeded at an expansion site outside the main Kennedy Centre building.

That is because artists and arts lovers have largely given the Kennedy Centre a wide berth since Trump began taking over the venue last year and had his name inscribed on the side of the building. Performers cancelled shows, donors withdrew and ticket sales nosedived.

Last October, The Washington Post calculated 43 per cent of tickets remained unsold for the typical autumn........

© The Age