In a surprising turn of events, the Kennedy Center, a renowned cultural institution in Washington, D.C., has called off a week-long series of events intended to honor the LGBTQ+ community as part of the World Pride festival.
This decision has been linked to a shift in the center's focus and the dismissal of its leadership by the Trump administration.
Several artists and producers who were part of the center's "Tapestry of Pride" schedule have reported that their events were either quietly canceled or moved to different venues. The "Tapestry of Pride" was initially slated to take place from June 5 to 8, according to Fox News.
In reaction to the cancellation of these events, the Capital Pride Alliance of Washington has severed ties with the Kennedy Center. "We are a resilient community, and we have found other avenues to celebrate," said June Crenshaw, the alliance's deputy director. "We are finding another path to the celebration but the fact that we have to maneuver in this way is disappointing."
Despite the cancellations, the Kennedy Center's website still features a section dedicated to the "Tapestry of Pride," complete with a general description and a link to the World Pride site. However, no further information is provided.
The decision to cancel these events follows a series of significant changes at the Kennedy Center, including President Donald Trump's dismissal of both the president and chairman in early February. Trump replaced most of the board with loyalists, who subsequently elected him as the new chairman of the institution.
The World Pride event, which is held every two years, is scheduled to run from May 17 through June 8, with performances and celebrations planned across the nation's capital. However, concerns have been raised about the reception attendees might receive in light of Trump administration policies targeting transgender people and comments about Kennedy Center drag performances.
Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, expressed his concerns after his June 5 performance at the Kennedy Center was canceled just days after Trumps takeover of the institution. "I know that D.C. as a community will be very excited to be hosting World Pride, but I know the community is a little bit different than the government," he said.
Roest was in the final stages of planning the performance at the center and was waiting on a final contract when the leadership changes were announced. Following this, communication from the center ceased. Roest received an email from a Kennedy Center staffer stating that they "are no longer able to advance your contract at this time."
Despite the setback, Roest managed to relocate the International Pride Orchestra performance to the Strathmore theater in nearby Bethesda, Maryland. He stated that his orchestra would no longer consider performing at the Kennedy Center and predicted that most queer artists would likely make the same choice.
June Crenshaw mentioned that some other events, including a drag story time and a display of parts of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, would be moved to the World Pride welcome center in Chinatown.
Monica Alford, an experienced arts and culture journalist and event planner, was scheduled to organize an event on June 8 as part of the "Tapestry of Pride." However, she also experienced an abrupt end to communication within days of Trumps takeover of the Kennedy Center. Alford, who has a long history with the Kennedy Center and organized the first-ever drag brunch on its rooftop last year, expressed her disappointment at losing the partnership she had with the Kennedy Center.
Alford believes that the cancellation of these events is a disservice to the entire community, not just the queer community. She was still finalizing the details of her event, which she described as "meant to be family-friendly, just like the drag brunch was family-friendly and classy and sophisticated."
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