Béla Fleck Withdraws from Kennedy Center Concert
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Béla Fleck has canceled his upcoming performance at the Kennedy Center, citing a “charged and political” atmosphere surrounding the institution.
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The 19-time Grammy Award-winning banjoist was scheduled to perform with the National Symphony Orchestra in February but is now part of a growing trend of artists withdrawing from the Kennedy Center following Donald Trump’s recent takeover.
Fleck stated on social media, “I have withdrawn from my upcoming performance with the NSO at The Kennedy Center. Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music. I look forward to playing with the NSO another time in the future when we can together share and celebrate art.”
I have withdrawn from my upcoming performance with the NSO at The Kennedy Center. Performing there has become charged and political, at an institution where the focus should be on the music.
I look forward to playing with the NSO another time in the future when we can together… pic.twitter.com/dnzoAZzzAF
— Béla Fleck (@belafleckbanjo) January 6, 2026
In December, the Kennedy Center faced significant events, including the controversial renaming to the Trump-Kennedy Center, new signage, and a series of artist boycotts. The center also experienced its lowest ratings for the December 23 broadcast of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors.
Efforts to rename the Kennedy Center, reportedly sanctioned by its board, may encounter legal challenges. Original legislation establishing the venue prohibits such renaming and would require an act of Congress to amend.
The current board, significantly altered since a year ago, saw Trump replace members and appoint himself as chair. At that time, he stated, “At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., GREAT AGAIN.”
Following these changes, the newly appointed board members, chosen by Trump, officially elected him as chair.
Fleck’s political views contrast sharply with Trump’s far-right agenda; he notably performed at rallies for Bernie Sanders in 2020.
Other celebrities distancing themselves from the Kennedy Center include Rhiannon Giddens, Issa Rae, Renee Fleming, Shonda Rhimes, and Ben Folds. The acclaimed productions *Hamilton* and *Eureka Day* also canceled performances at the center, while the jazz ensemble The Cookers withdrew from a planned New Year’s Eve concert.
Despite his withdrawal from the Kennedy Center performance, Fleck’s 2026 touring plans remain intact, beginning January 31 at Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Scotland.
