Kennedy Center Stops Musician Payments Hours After Receiving $25 Million Stimulus

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, located in Washington, D.C., is our country’s National Cultural Center and home of the U.S. National Symphony Orchestra.  This week, the Kennedy Center received $25 million of taxpayer money as part of the Covid-19 stimulus package.

Congress included $25 million in taxpayer funding for the Kennedy Center, a provision that raised eyebrows from both Democrats and Republicans, but ultimately won support from President Trump.  The bailout was designed to “cover operating expenses required to ensure the continuity of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and its affiliates, including for employee compensation and benefits, grants, contracts, payments for rent or utilities, fees for artists or performers,” according to the law’s text.

Just hours later, the Center’s president emailed the 100 musician orchestra, informing them they won’t be paid after April 3 until the Center reopens.

Apparently, leadership decided the bailout doesn’t apply to compensation for orchestra members.

“Everyone should proceed as if their last paycheck will be April 3,” the email says.  “We understand this will come [as a] shock to all of you, as it did to us.”

Orchestra members were apparently blindsided by the announcement.  They figured some of that $25 million – which, after all, is part of a package to help the people during a crisis and is supposed to cover employee compensation – would go to them.

“It’s very disappointing [that] they’re going to get that money and then drop us afterward,” [a] musician said.  “The Kennedy Center blindsided us.”

That does seem wrong, doesn’t it?

The musicians are particularly upset at the short notice, because their contract with Center says artists are to be given at least six weeks notice before their paychecks can stop – much more than the one week being given here.

It is worth noting that the Center’s President, Deborah Rutter, has stated that she will forego her $1.2 million salary while the Center is closed.

What do you think of the Center’s decision not to pay its artists despite receiving $25 million as part of the stimulus package?