The 49th Kennedy Center Honors will recognize singers Paul Anka and Barbara Mandrell, composer David Foster, actor Andy Garcia and writer David Mamet. The announcement was made Monday, with this year’s ceremony set to take place at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., rather than at the Kennedy Center itself.
The venue change comes as the Kennedy Center remains involved in a legal dispute over efforts to add U.S. President Donald Trump’s name to the building’s exterior. The institution’s board also decided to shut down the arts center, while Trump has said on social media that the closure could make future renovations possible.
Established in 1978, the annual Kennedy Center Honors celebrate people whose lifetime work has contributed to American culture through the performing arts. In a statement, Trump described this year’s honorees as artists whose careers have influenced American culture and inspired generations of audiences.
It remains unclear whether Trump will host the 2026 ceremony again. He hosted the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors, which recorded the event’s lowest-ever ratings. That gala aired on CBS and Paramount+ amid plans to rename the institution The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The proposal prompted criticism, including from members of the Kennedy family, and several artists withdrew from planned performances at the center.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter.