The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington remains closed to the public amid ongoing safety concerns, yet the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) continues to rehearse within its main concert hall. Despite President Donald Trump’s recent assertions describing the center as dangerously deteriorated, with references to falling ceiling plaster and structural failures, the orchestra members have maintained regular access to the venue on weekday mornings.

The center’s spokesperson, P.J. Elliott, confirmed that while the venue is unsafe for the general public, the concert hall is deemed secure for essential staff and NSO musicians during rehearsals. Musicians are instructed to follow specific routes through the building identified as safe by facilities management, while other areas remain off limits. However, the center has continued to rent out parts of its underground parking garages, despite reports of corrosion and structural weakening, highlighting ongoing management challenges.

The center’s closure and safety narrative emerged following the entrance of Trump and his allies onto the Kennedy Center board early in his second term. Trump replaced Biden-era appointees, took over as chairman, and announced a two-year closure for renovations. Several Democratic board members have criticized this move, accusing the administration of exaggerating the center’s condition to cover for declining ticket sales and artist departures. Legal disputes also ensued after Trump sought to affix his name to the building, a decision blocked by court orders. In response, Trump delayed renovation plans, asserting that work would not begin until the naming issue was resolved, accompanied by threats to demolish the structure entirely.

While the center remains closed, the orchestra has shifted performances to multiple regional venues across Maryland and Virginia, presenting works such as Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5 and Haydn’s Symphony No. 85. Musicians interviewed expressed a preference to focus on their music rather than the political controversy enveloping their home stage. At the same time, some former employees and longstanding patrons question the extent of the building’s purported hazards, pointing to the orchestra's ongoing rehearsals as evidence that conditions may be less severe than portrayed.

The closure has had a profound impact on the Kennedy Center’s cultural ecosystem. Audience attendance has declined substantially since Trump’s takeover and the naming controversy. Several prominent artists, including composer Philip Glass and banjo player Béla Fleck, have withdrawn from scheduled performances, while the Washington National Opera has relocated elsewhere. The NSO relies heavily on the Kennedy Center for financial stability, receiving millions in subsidies when ticket revenues fall short. This year, the center supplemented the orchestra’s budget by approximately $17 million.

Negotiations over the orchestra’s 2026-27 budget experienced lengthy delays, leaving the group without approval to book alternative venues or secure guest performers. This uncertainty prompted local patrons to form Save Our Symphonies, an advocacy group supporting the musicians amid financial instability. Musicians have since performed in private residences and other unconventional spaces, often avoiding public political statements to maintain support.

Recently, the Kennedy Center board granted approval for the NSO to finalize bookings for the current season, allowing a return to a more regular schedule. The musicians also signed a new four-year contract. The season commenced with a well-attended event at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, signaling a degree of resilience for the orchestra amid ongoing operational and political challenges facing the Kennedy Center.