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As the Trump administration prepares to close the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation,<\/a> the head of Washington’s performing arts center has warned its staff about impending cuts that will leave \u201cskeletal teams.\u201d<\/p>\n In a Tuesday memo obtained by The Associated Press, Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told staff that \u201cdepartments will obviously function on a much smaller scale with some units totally reduced or on hold until we begin preparations to reopen in 2028,\u201d promising \u201cpermanent or temporary adjustments for most everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n A Kennedy Center spokesperson declined comment Wednesday.<\/p>\n Over the next few months, he wrote, department heads would be \u201cevaluating the needs and making the decisions as to what these skeletal teams left in place during the facility and closure and construction phase will look like.\u201d Grenell said leadership would \u201cprovide as much clarity and advance notice as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n The Kennedy Center is slated to close in early July. Few details about what the renovations will look like have been released since President Donald Trump announced his plan at the beginning of February. Neither Trump nor Grenell have provided evidence to support claims about the building being in disrepair, and last October, Trump had pledged<\/a> it would remain open during renovations.<\/p>\n It’s unclear exactly how many employees the center currently has, but a 2025 tax filing said nearly 2,500 people were employed during the 2023 calendar year. A request for comment sent to Kennedy Center Arts Workers United, which represents artists and arts professionals affiliated with the center \u2014 wasn’t immediately returned.<\/p>\n Leading performers and groups have left or canceled appearances since Trump ousted the center’s leadership<\/a> a year ago and added his own name to the building<\/a> in December. The Washington Post, which first reported about Grenell’s memo, has also cited significant drops in ticket revenue that \u2014 along with private philanthropy \u2014 comprises the center’s operating budget. Officials have yet to say whether such long-running traditions as the Mark Twain Award for comedy or the honors ceremony for lifetime contributions to the arts will continue while the center is closed.<\/p>\n The Kennedy Center was first conceived as a national cultural facility during the Eisenhower administration, in the 1950s. President John F. Kennedy led a fundraising initiative, and the yet-to-be-built center was named in his honor following his assassination. It opened in 1971 and has become a preeminent showcase for theater, music and dramatic performances, enjoying bipartisan backing until Trump’s return to office last year.<\/p>\n \u201cThis renovation represents a generational investment in our future,\u201d Grenell wrote. \u201cWhen we reopen, we will do so as a stronger organization \u2014 one that honors our legacy while expanding our impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n