Kennedy Center honors move offsite as Center’s tussle over Trump’s plans continues
WASHINGTON, DC: The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced that its Honors ceremony will take place at a different venue amid an ongoing legal battle over the institution’s closure and President Donald Trump’s plans for the building.
The announcement comes after the center’s board voted on September 15 to close the institution for renovations, while its main building was temporarily closed to the public amid safety concerns.
Kennedy Center to hold its award ceremony in offsite location
For the first time in the ceremony's history, the Kennedy Center Honors will not be held at its traditional venue. Instead, the event will take place at Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, DC, on December 7, a spokesperson for the institution confirmed on Friday, October 2.
The spokesperson said the Kennedy Center will announce its 2026 honorees “at a later date."
Capital One Arena is a venue with a capacity of approximately 20,000 people. It is home to the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NBA’s Washington Wizards.
The ceremony is scheduled for December 7.
In 2025, Congress appropriated more than $250 million for renovations to the Kennedy Center.
Trump announced last month that the Kennedy Center’s board had voted to close the institution for renovations, saying the move would allow it to begin the process of reconstruction. The decision came hours after US District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the board could not add Trump’s name to the building without congressional approval.
The Judge had previously blocked the planned two-year venue shutdown, which Trump announced earlier in the year.
Regarding the proposed renovations, Trump said they would not proceed unless the court allowed his name to be restored to the institution’s facade.
Status of Kennedy Center remain in question
The Kennedy Center was closed to the public amid safety concerns. However, the Trump administration has argued in court filings that the temporary closure for safety assessments is separate from the board’s decision to close the institution for renovations.
Lawyers involved in the case have continued to challenge the closure. A federal judge ordered the center to provide 30 days’ notice before making major physical changes to the complex, including demolition.
Notably, Trump was previously photographed aboard Air Force One looking at a sign that appeared to support demolishing the Kennedy Center.
The image raised concerns about the possibility of major changes to the complex without sufficient notice.
The judge subsequently ordered the center to give 30 days’ advance notice before undertaking major physical changes to the building.
The Kennedy Center has become a major political issue as Trump has repeatedly sought to rename the institution after himself, part of his broader effort to leave his mark on the US capital before leaving the White House.
