Record fundraising, despite nonstop leftist efforts to make the Center fail, for political reasons.
From Google AI:
In 2025, the Kennedy Center saw record fundraising, largely driven by the annual Honors, bringing in $23 million, nearly doubling previous years, under President Trump's new leadership, alongside successes like a major Les Misérables run and the NSO gala, but also faced general ticket sales challenges, leading to new directives like mandatory anthems for fundraising, with overall goals focused on expanding arts access.
Key Fundraising Highlights:
From Google AI:
In 2025, the Kennedy Center saw record fundraising, largely driven by the annual Honors, bringing in $23 million, nearly doubling previous years, under President Trump's new leadership, alongside successes like a major Les Misérables run and the NSO gala, but also faced general ticket sales challenges, leading to new directives like mandatory anthems for fundraising, with overall goals focused on expanding arts access.
Key Fundraising Highlights:
- Kennedy Center Honors: A record-breaking $23 million was raised for the 48th annual Honors, significantly more than the $12.7 million from the prior year.
- NSO Gala: The National Symphony Orchestra's annual gala raised a record $3.45 million, showing strong donor support for specific programs.
- Les Misérables Run: The production exceeded revenue goals, generating 135% of planned revenue and raising an additional $10.2 million at its opening night.
- New Leadership: Under President Donald Trump, the center aimed for more showy, politically aligned events, with a stated goal of bipartisanship.
- Fundraising Directives: New initiatives included allowing major donors to conduct the National Anthem for large contributions, a departure from past practices.
- Ticket Sales: The center faced difficulties with overall ticket sales, particularly for the National Symphony Orchestra, in the first half of 2025.
- The fundraising success, especially for the Honors, signaled robust donor enthusiasm, with officials citing "unprecedented support" for the institution's mission