A KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE
Though Congress anointed it as the nation's performing arts center, the venue has never overcome its image as a place for the elite. Of the estimated 4.5 million annual visitors, more than half never attend a perf.
"We want an institution that reflects both the diversity of the Washington, D.C., area and the country," Johnson told a press conference to announce the initiative. "The Kennedy Center belongs to the nation, and the productions staged here must be shared with every American."
The Center will diversify its offerings to appeal to a larger audience, and will focus efforts on re-establishing itself as a user-friendly cultural and performing arts attraction.
Funding for the initiative will come from the center's general fundraising committee, Johnson says, and could cost as much as $500,000 a year.
Highlight of the initiative is free daily performances on the new Millennium Stage in the Grand Foyer, featuring musicians, theatrical groups and modern dance companies from across the country. An "artist-in-residence" program will feature performers booked for multiple dates. Entertainers will be paid an honorarium and acts will be promoted.
The center is also expanding access to discounted tickets for locals and tourists by offering them at a downtown ticket booth, as well as running shuttles to and from the center. A "Pay-What-You-Can" program will offer tickets to selected performances throughout the year at any price offered by the patron.
