"Ask not what the Kennedy Center can do for you, ask what you can do for the Kennedy Center."
- Bill Turner, Saturday Tour Guide since 1988
About Us
From its inception in 1965 to its leap into the 21st century, the Friends of the Kennedy Center volunteers have provided invaluable service to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—eleven hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year. The Friends are a diverse, educated, and arts-loving group (as the results of a recent Friends survey show) who impart a wonderful spirit of volunteerism and selfless participation that make them a model for the entire country. The spirit of volunteerism is thriving at the Kennedy Center, proving that there are still many women and men who are willing to volunteer their time for the good of the community. In addition to the satisfaction of being able to contribute to this institution, our volunteers have a lot of fun as well!
Why Be a Friend?
"I love the arts but, before I found the Friends, I only had the chance to participate as an audience member. I saw volunteering at the Kennedy Center as a way of giving back to something that has been a major influence in my life. I meet many wonderful people on my tours, have made many great life-long friends, and have an opportunity to experience many other aspects of the performing arts. I’m thankful to be a part of this superb institution."
- Leslie Myers
"From my early days in Mumbai, India, I have been involved with the performing arts. Coming to the United States, I wanted to continue my arts activity and volunteering, and the Kennedy Center offered me the perfect opportunity. I often hear many of my favorite artists and friends – Billy Taylor, the late Isaac Stern, Zubin Mehta – and am introduced to new ones such as Ling Lang and Leonard Slatkin. Being able to give back to the arts as a volunteer is nonexistent in India, and to be able to do so in the United States is a wonderful thing."
- Sorab Modi
Fabulous Benefits
Being a Friend of the Kennedy Center comes with its share of perks.
- Occasional ticket discounts and complementary ticket offers
- 30% discount at the KC Café
- 25% discount on all purchases in the Kennedy Center Gift Shops
- Use of the Kennedy Center employee canteen which offers a salad and sandwich bar, as well as reasonably-priced entrees
- $2.00 parking rate when volunteering or attending a performance at the Kennedy Center
- A subscription to FriendScript, our monthly newsletter
Requirements for Participation as an Active Friend
New volunteer orientations are held twice a year, generally in late March and September.
All qualified candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years of age and out of school.*
- Must be willing to commit to one year.
- Must be able to perform the required duties for preferred volunteer job.
- Must be willing to complete all aspects of the orientation and training cycle.
- Must be willing to commit to one weekly three or four hour shift of service.**
*We do not accept high school or college students for the regular Friends program. See our site for other volunteer opportunities.
**There is a special Flex schedule available —Friday afternoon through Monday evening — after six months on a regular shift.
Support the Friends
One way to find out more about the Friends—both the organization and its volunteers—is to buy one of our books.
Our book, Curtain Up on the Friends, A History of the Friends of the Kennedy Center Volunteers, offers the reader a rich history about the Friends since our inception in 1965.
Get two or more Friends together and watch what happens: productive volunteer work and a lot of conversation about cooking! Our second book,Cooking with Friends, is one of the best sellers in the Kennedy Center Gift Shops; each chapter highlights what the Friends do and provides great recipes as well.
click the above images for more information
