John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is the nation’s premier performing arts center as well as an official memorial to America’s fallen 35th president of the United States. Situated on the banks of the Potomac River is the heart of Washington, DC, the Kennedy Center has been mesmerizing audiences since opening in 1971.
The Kennedy Center hosts a wide variety of performances annually including theater, dance, ballet, chamber, jazz, orchestral, popular, and folk music. The Center is also home to the National Symphony Orchestra and Kennedy Center Honors program.
Funding operationally by Congress, programs are funded through private support from ticket sales, individual and corporate gifts, private foundations and business-related income. More than 3,500 performances are hosted annually with more than two million patrons attending. Educational outreach is available to both adults and children through this unique public-private partnership.
2017 Contributions Received from Private Sources
$145,478,302
2017 Contributions Received from Government
$151,644,052
2018 Net Assets
$436,141,800
The Kennedy Center has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis and has been forced to lay off a significant part of their work force due to suspended performances and lack of ticket sales.
2017 Salaries
$103,846,815 for 2,536 employees
(approximately 32.5% of combined funds raised & granted annually)
2017 Non-Salary, Non-Grant Expenses
$174,563,658
(approximately 54% of funds raised annually)
The Center’s current focus is on: 1) re-opening in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic; and, 2) resuming performances and returning to normal operations as soon as possible.
Current Board & Volunteers
57 Board Members
1,700 Volunteers
President
Deborah Rutter since 2016
(previously head of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association)
The obvious immediate challenge for the Kennedy Center:
Returning to normal operations following COVID-19
Generosity Assessment: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has traditionally been a tremendously successful public-private partnership well-funded by an able and appreciative audience. Its next 990 postings will undoubtedly show a serious decline in revenue due to the novel coronavirus so reestablishing sound and lucrative operations will be a must. The pending production of the wildly popular Hamilton will clearly help. We believe the Kennedy Center is a great candidate for support from:
Principal Gifts
Program Related Investments
Public-Private-Philanthropic Partnerships
For more information on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts or to make a donation, please visit their web site at: