Washington Performing Arts will use alternate venues instead of performing at the Kennedy Center next season. WPA presents artists including Sigourney Weaver, the Chicago Symphony, and Yo-Yo Ma. Previously, the touring production of Hamilton had also declined to perform at the Kennedy Center.
PBS and NPR have sued to block the Trump administration executive order cutting off funding. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is not a federal agency, and they claim this protects them from political interference an politicians serving as “arbiters of content.”
Kennedy Center subscriptions have fallen by 36 percent. Theater sales have fallen the most, by 82 percent, and ballet and dance have fallen 57 percent. Single ticket sales were also down by 50 percent in April and May.
Nearly half of Sarasota Ballet’s dancers are departing due to a toxic work culture. Eighteen departing dancers cite fear, favoritism, verbal attacks, and punitive casting as the reason for their departure.
The National Endowment for the Humanities has dismissed about 100 employees, nearly two-thirds of its workforce. NEH has also eliminated more than 1,000 grants and half of its endowment opportunities for next season. Instead, it will commission statues celebrating American heroes.
Gonzalo Garcia has been appointed artistic director of Miami City Ballet, succeeding Lourdes Lopez and becoming the third director in the company’s history. Garcia was formerly a principal dancer at New York City Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet, and has also served as repertory director at City Ballet. He plans to continue the legacy of performing works of Balanchine and Robbins while also continuing to commission new works.
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AMC Theatres will offer 50 percent discounts on Wednesday evening tickets starting on July 9. Wednesday is the slowest day of the week, and AMC hopes the discount will increase attendance.
The Texas legislature has increased film incentives by $100 million, to $300 million every two years. The incentives will be deposited in the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Fund through 2035. Texas is one of 37 states with film incentives, and it is estimated that the program has boosted the economy with a 469 percent return on the investment.
A U.S. district judge has affirmed that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is an independent nonprofit corporation independent from governmental control. Three CPB board members had sued when President Trump tried to remove them from their positions.
SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative agreement with Activision, Disney, Electronic Arts, WB Games, Insomniac, and others covering video games. Voice and performance capture artists have been on strike. The tentative agreement includes artificial intelligence guardrails that protect the artists’ intellectual property.
AMC Theatres will run commercials alongside trailers in a new deal with National CineMedia. The advertising will begin on July 1 and revenue will be shared between AMC and NCM.
Disney and Universal are suing Midjourney over misuse of intellectual property. The entertainment companies claim that Midjourney has trained its artificial intelligence models using their intellectual property. Disney and Universal are the first major Hollywood studios to sue an AI firm over copyright infringement.
Nielsen reports that streaming dominated TV screens in May. Streaming accounted for nearly 45 percent of viewership, more than broadcast and cable combined. The biggest individual share of streaming was through YouTube, with 12.5 percent.
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The Charlotte Symphony has raised $50.1 million, exceeding its goal. The capital drive began in 2022. $40 million will be deposited in the endowment fund, bringing the total endowment to $53.5 million. The remaining funds will go toward operating support.
The NEA has rescinded the Philadelphia Orchestra’s grant for its Pride Concert. The Orchestra will still perform the concert, thanks in part to a $100,000 challenge grant from Dr. James F. Dougherty.
The Chicago Symphony is pausing its MusicNOW concert series. The series began in 1998 and features new music by living composers.