Kennedy Centre cancels Pride concert featuring Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC
The Kennedy Centre has cancelled a performance of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC. (@gmcwashington/Instagram)
The Kennedy Centre has cancelled a Pride concert featuring the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC and the National Symphony Orchestra. The group did not provide a reason for the cancellation.
The concert was scheduled for 21 May as part of WorldPride 2025, with the two organisations set to collaborate on a piece titled “A Peacock Among Pigeons” for a Pride concert. In a statement shared on social media, the Gay Men’s Chorus said it was “deeply disappointed” by the decision to cancel the event.
“We believe in the power of music to educate and uplift, to foster love, understanding, and community, and we regret that this opportunity has been taken away,” the statement read. “While we are saddened by the decision, we are committed to this work and to our mission of raising our voices for equality for all.
“We are grateful for those who have supported us,” the Gay Men’s Chorus continued, “and we will continue to seek spaces where our voices, our stories, and our music can be heard.”
The group will now perform the show during its upcoming Choral Festival as part of WorldPride 2025. “We will continue to advocate for artistic expression that reflects the depth and diversity of our community and country. We will continue to sing and raise our voices for equality,” the statement concluded.
The Kennedy Centre has seen a slew of changes in recent moments since President Donald Trump was voted chairman, including show cancellations and high-profile board members resigning in its wake.
Trump vowed to fire members of the board of trustees and named himself as chairman. He criticised the centre’s previous shows, including accusing the venue of hosting drag shows which are “specifically targeting our youth” and other performances that are supposedly “anti-American propaganda”.
He told reporters at the time: “We’re going to make sure that it’s good and it’s not going to be woke. There’s no more woke in this country.” Trump added: “Some of the shows were terrible, they were a disgrace.”
However, when asked, he denied having seen any shows at The Kennedy Center.
A petition against Trump’s involvement at the centre demands “protection of artistic independence at the Kennedy Center, public commitment to programming that reflects America’s full diversity, and clear policy preventing political interference in artistic decisions”.
The petition, which has garnered over 38,000 signatures since its launch, also adds that “targeting board members over drag performances sends a chilling message about who gets to create art and whose stories deserve to be told”.
You can sign the petition, Stop the Political Takeover of the Kennedy Center – Protect Free Expression, here.
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