International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ after Kennedy Center concert cancelled
The International Pride Orchestra will no longer perform at the venue. (@iprideorchestra/Instagram)
The International Pride Orchestra have said it is “heartbroken” after its Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. concert was cancelled.
The non-profit volunteer group was set to perform a Pride Celebration Concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on 4 June. “The concert was designed to showcase LGBTQ+ artists, allies and drag performers from around the world,” the International Pride Orchestra wrote in a Wednesday (25 February) statement.
However, SFGate and the San Francisco Examiner reported that the group were notified via email that the performance would no longer go ahead. The orchestra claimed via a Monday (24 February) press release that the email from the venue stated, “We are not in a position at this time to advance a contract”.
“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” founding artistic director Michael Roest said.
The Instagram statement added that the group would “not be deterred in our mission to celebrate and amplify LGBTQ+ voices. While this moment is disappointing, it strengthens our resolve to create spaces where all artists are seen and celebrated”.
The orchestra has since announced that its Pride Celebration Concert will still go ahead at a different venue. The group will now perform on 5 June at the Strathmore Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
“We are thrilled to share that the Strathmore Music Center has graciously stepped in to host our annual Pride Celebration… in their beautiful concert hall,” the statement continued.
“We are grateful for the unwavering support of our community and partners, and we look forward to sharing our music and message in Washington, D.C. and beyond.”
Other LGBTQ+ performers have also faced cancellations at the Kennedy Center in recent moments, including the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, since President Donald Trump was voted chairman.
High-profile board members have resigned since Trump’s involvement with the venue began. 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 39,000 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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