Posts tagged Kennedy Center
Actors’ Equity, IATSE, Other Entertainment Unions Condemn Kennedy Center Closure
February 4, 2026 // Actors’ Equity Association, American Federation of Musicians, American Guild of Musical Artists, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society—unions whose members are routinely hired by the Kennedy Center—have released a joint statement decrying the move, calling it "harmful for the arts and creative workers in America," and saying they have been given "no formal notice or briefing." The unions also said that for any upcoming shows that will be cancelled due to this closure, "we will enforce our contracts and exercise all our rights under the law. We expect continued fair pay, enforceable worker protections, and accountability for our members in the event they cannot work due to an operational pause."
Kennedy Center unions prepare workers for the worst
February 3, 2026 // Kennedy Center Arts Workers United — consisting of Actors’ Equity, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) — have issued this joint statement in response to the presidential announcement that the Center will shut from July:
Kennedy Center staff to vote to unionize amid Trump changes
May 19, 2025 // After the initial wave of firings in February, broader layoffs have continued in recent weeks. The entire social impact team was let go in late March, and just this week, an international arm of the programming department was laid off, jeopardizing efforts to get talented artists from outside the United States booked for this season. "These teams are small, and they're close. We're all friends. So, it's hard to see your friends lose their jobs, and they're the ones telling us," one programming staff member admitted. "But more than that, there's uncertainty what jobs still need to be done and what is being shelved." There's been intensified concern about the fundraising efforts for the non-profit organization, which brought in an estimated $141 million in grants and donations in fiscal year 2023. The development department, which operated with about 90 employees for years previously, has been reduced to about 30 presently on staff, leaving major holes in budgeting and donor cultivation duties.