Visit
Events
Log in
BackThe John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Find a Performance
Featured Events
National Symphony Orchestra: Season Opening Gala Concert
Saturday, September 22, 2018 7:00 PM TicketsMC Lyte: Lyte as a Rock 30th Anniversary Concert (part of The Bridge Concert Series)
Friday, September 21, 2018 8:00 PM TicketsWashington National Opera: Opera in the Outfield®, presented by Mars, Incorporated—The Barber of Seville
Saturday, September 29, 2018 7:00 PM TicketsGet Exclusive Events
& Early-Access Tickets
Become a Kennedy Center Member to get premium benefits not available to the general public. Your Kennedy Center Membership will keep you connected to the most exciting and anticipated theatrical, musical, dance, opera, and performance events in Washington with Members-only benefits that are truly outstanding, including the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public through our Members-Only Ticket Priority benefit. Learn More
More to Explore
Free live performances every dayFree Performances Daily at 6 PM ET - 7 Days a Week - 365 Days a Year
Extraordinary performing arts video on demand
New & Noteworthy
Mark Twain Prize Talent Announced
Joining to salute television star and 11-time Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus at the 21st annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor will be special guests Stephen Colbert, Bryan Cranston, Tina Fey, Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Kumail Nanjiani, and Jerry Seinfeld. The live Gala Performance will take place on Sun., Oct. 21 in the Concert Hall, and will be taped for later broadcast on PBS stations on Nov. 19 at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings). The creative team from Done + Dusted will partner with the Kennedy Center to produce the show. Presenting Sponsor Capital One®
Mark Twain Prize Talent Announced: Learn MoreDIRECT CURRENT Returns for a Second Season
The Kennedy Center’s two-week celebration of contemporary culture returns March 25–April 7, offering new works, interdisciplinary creations, and creative responses to topical concerns. Showcasing some of the most provocative, original, and pioneering voices in the arts today, DIRECT CURRENT takes place at the Kennedy Center and throughout D.C. at alternative venues, to expand the growing audience for contemporary culture in the nation’s capital. Three of the Kennedy Center’s resident artistic leaders—Composer-in-Residence Mason Bates, Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran, and DEMO series director Damian Woetzel—contributed to the programming, which includes talks with prominent thought leaders. Participating artists include composers Caroline Shaw and Du Yun, the National Symphony Orchestra, Bon Iver, Bill T. Jones, and many other world-class collaborators. Tickets are available to Kennedy Center Members on Sep. 4, and to the general public on Sep. 12, unless otherwise noted.
DIRECT CURRENT Returns for a Second Season: Learn MoreA New Brand for a New Era
The Kennedy Center's new visual identity is the manifestation of where the Center has been and where it is going. Conceived by IA Collaborative of Chicago, IL, our new brand is at once monumental and dynamic, a balance of the traditional and the modern. The bold graphic shapes are inspired by the original 1971 building designed by Edward Durell Stone and the architecture of the new REACH complex created by Steven Holl Architects, joined together by an iconic pillar like those that stretch skyward around the building. This visual identity will embrace all the Center's partners and programs, from the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera to education and membership, unifying all the many facets of our institution. As the Kennedy Center enters a new era of growth, this brand is a reflection of the changes happening both inside and outside the building.
A New Brand for a New Era: Learn MoreKennedy Center News Now Online
Kennedy Center News is now available to read online! The September-October issue features contemporary dance from Brazil's Companhia de Dança Deborah Colker, San Francisco Ballet with a program of new works, the return of Broadway Center Stage with Little Shop of Horrors, Washington National Opera's new production of Verdi's La traviata, National Symphony Orchestra concerts with film including Star Wars and Get Out, a sneak peek at the REACH expansion, and much more!
Kennedy Center News Now Online: Learn More