Béla Fleck Pulls Out of Kennedy Center Performance Amid 'Charged and Political' Atmosphere
Grammy-winning banjoist Béla Fleck has joined a growing list of artists who have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center in protest of Donald Trump's takeover. The musician, scheduled to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra in February, announced on social media that he is withdrawing from the event due to concerns about the institution's newfound political leanings.
Fleck stated that performing at the Kennedy Center has become "charged and political," citing an atmosphere where the focus should be on music rather than politics. He expressed his hope to reschedule with the orchestra in the future when they can both share and celebrate art without the added burden of politics.
This cancellation comes days after Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, known for hits like Wicked, pulled out of a scheduled appearance at the Kennedy Center due to its name change to honor Trump. Schwartz stated that the institution "no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be."
The controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center has sparked a wave of cancellations among artists in recent months. A group of musicians, including jazz musician Wayne Tucker and folk singer Kristy Lee, have opted out of performances at the center following its name change. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who had planned to revive his hit musical Hamilton, has also called off the revival due to concerns about Trump's involvement.
The first round of cancellations began in early 2025, when Trump moved to gut the Kennedy Center's board and install himself as chairman. The subsequent name change to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has further fueled tensions among artists.
With many prominent figures pulling out of performances at the Kennedy Center, it remains to be seen how long this trend will continue. As one artist noted, when a venue like the Kennedy Center becomes "no longer representative" of its original purpose, it raises concerns about artistic freedom and the role of politics in public institutions.
Grammy-winning banjoist Béla Fleck has joined a growing list of artists who have canceled performances at the Kennedy Center in protest of Donald Trump's takeover. The musician, scheduled to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra in February, announced on social media that he is withdrawing from the event due to concerns about the institution's newfound political leanings.
Fleck stated that performing at the Kennedy Center has become "charged and political," citing an atmosphere where the focus should be on music rather than politics. He expressed his hope to reschedule with the orchestra in the future when they can both share and celebrate art without the added burden of politics.
This cancellation comes days after Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, known for hits like Wicked, pulled out of a scheduled appearance at the Kennedy Center due to its name change to honor Trump. Schwartz stated that the institution "no longer represents the apolitical place for free artistic expression it was founded to be."
The controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center has sparked a wave of cancellations among artists in recent months. A group of musicians, including jazz musician Wayne Tucker and folk singer Kristy Lee, have opted out of performances at the center following its name change. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who had planned to revive his hit musical Hamilton, has also called off the revival due to concerns about Trump's involvement.
The first round of cancellations began in early 2025, when Trump moved to gut the Kennedy Center's board and install himself as chairman. The subsequent name change to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has further fueled tensions among artists.
With many prominent figures pulling out of performances at the Kennedy Center, it remains to be seen how long this trend will continue. As one artist noted, when a venue like the Kennedy Center becomes "no longer representative" of its original purpose, it raises concerns about artistic freedom and the role of politics in public institutions.
. i mean, i get that some people are upset but canceling performances because they dont want to be associated with trump's name on the building? its just music, you know? 
i think its a bit extreme. what if fleck just wanted to play a few shows and make some money 
? he didnt have to go public about it like that. anyway, im all for artistic freedom and stuff but this whole thing is getting out of hand 
. maybe the kennedy center can find a way to compromise and make both trump's name and art lovers happy? 
. I'm sure Béla Fleck would've loved playing at the Kennedy Center, but if he feels like his music isn't going to be respected in that environment, then I get why he cancelled 
. It's just a shame that it has to come down to politics when art is all about self-expression and having fun 
. I mean, who wants their music performance to be overshadowed by all that drama? The name change is a major red flag - it feels like they're trying to inject Trump's brand of politics into everything. I'm curious though, what exactly is the deal with Schwartz and his Wicked hits being tied to this mess? Did he just get cold feet or is there more to it? And what about all these other artists who are speaking out... do we have sources on how much financial compensation they're giving up by backing out of shows? I need some solid facts before I start jumping on the bandwagon 
to cancel his performance at the Kennedy Center, I mean it's not like he wanted to play there in the first place. The whole thing with Trump taking over and changing the name is just shady 
. I don't get why artists would want to associate themselves with that. Like, come on, can't they see how it's gonna look? "Hey, we're a neutral venue for arts, but nope, let's put Trump's face on it" 
! I mean, who wants to perform with politics hanging over their head? It's like, art should be art, you know? Can't we just enjoy some sick banjo riffs without all the drama? #JusticeForArt #NoPoliticsAtTheKennedyCenter 
The fact that Stephen Schwartz and others are speaking out too is super inspiring 
. We need more people using their platforms to stand up for artistic freedom! #FreeSpeechMatters #RespectForTheArts 
... is it really that hard to separate art from politics? shouldn't a place like that be a safe space for creatives to express themselves without fear of judgment? 
. I get that some artists might not agree with Trump, but do we really need all this fuss? Can't we just have a good old-fashioned performance without all the controversy? 