The One Sign of Life at the Zombie Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is experiencing a period of institutional decline and reduced programming following political turmoil. Staff describe the facility as a ghost town compared to its former status as a premier cultural hub.
Why it matters
The decline of a major national cultural institution highlights the intersection of political administration and public arts funding.
The major performers are gone. But staff are trying to keep the center alive on its smallest stage.
Christine Kao / The Washington Post / Getty July 30, 2026, 2:10 PM ET Share Save To find any real sign of life at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts these days, you have to trek to the farthest edge of its 17-acre campus.
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