The Kennedy Center names new artistic director, amid concerns
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Center → name → concerns
The Kennedy Center has named Rick Canny, a talent manager who has worked with acts including ZZ Top and former Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, as its new artistic director.
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who → name → director
His appointment came despite complaints from staff about his business practices as a consultant for the arts institution.
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appointment → come → institution
According to an email obtained by NPR sent to high-level staff Thursday, Matt Floca, the center's executive director and chief operating officer, announced that Canny would be the center's new artistic director.
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Canny → accord → staff
Canny has served as a consultant to the Kennedy Center since shortly after President Trump became the institution's chairman in February 2025.
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Trump → serve → February
Floca has no background in arts administration, programming or fundraising, in contrast to chief administrators at similar performing arts venues around the country.
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Floca → have → country
He was previously head of facilities at the Kennedy Center before being promoted in March, and holds a degree in construction management.
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He → promote → management
Floca wrote: "Rick will advise me and the broader leadership team on artistic strategy, business practices, presenting and talent curation, ticketing and pricing models, media opportunities, and programming sponsorships."
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Rick → write → strategy
Floca also wrote: "Since April 2025, Rick has worked with the Center as a consultant through his firm, Favor the Artist, including serving as creative lead for the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize.
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Rick → write → Honors
He will continue in this capacity while serving as the Center's Artistic Director."
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He → continue → Director
Concerns about fees and expense
The Kennedy Center is mostly closed, but it says it will maintain a small amount of public and educational programming, while the entire closure is being contested in federal court.
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closure → close → court
The previous head of programming came and left within two weeks in January.
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head → come → January
Arts administrators around the country have told NPR that booking performances for performing arts centers is done years in advance.
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booking → tell → advance
The Kennedy Center did not respond to NPR's requests for comment on Canny's appointment, but confirmed the contents of the email.
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Center → respond → email
Canny also did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
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Canny → respond → comment
Favor the Artist's website does not include any information about its client roster or about the firm's history.
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website → include → history
The published lists of his professional background indicate that Canny has little experience in programming the kinds of performers more typically booked at a venue such as the Kennedy Center, including marquee contemporary solo performers and groups, orchestras, and dance and theater troupes.
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Canny → publish → performers
NPR has obtained an internal memo written in March by the center's then-senior director of music programming, Sammy Miller, raising concerns about fees and expenses charged by Canny.
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NPR → obtain → Canny
NPR has reached out to Miller for comment, but did not receive a reply.
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NPR → reach → reply
In that memo, sent to Floca and the Kennedy Center's human resources department, Miller said that during one month in early 2026, Canny had charged the center $30,000 in consulting fees.
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Canny → send → fees
And in another month, Canny had charged over $28,000 in fees and travel expenses, including two first-class round-trip flights between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.
The Kennedy Center did not reply to NPR's request for comment regarding staff concerns about Canny.
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Center → charge → Canny
In a statement to The New York Times on Friday, the center said that the $30,000 fee "did not reflect Mr. Canny's current agreement," but did not provide specifics.
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fee → say → specifics
The institution also told the Times that Canny's travel expenses had been reviewed.
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expenses → tell → Times
Miller wrote that he had previously tried to resolve his concerns through the center's general counsel and its finance office, but "both offices appear to be protecting Mr. Canny."
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offices → write → Canny
In its recent public statements and court filings, the Kennedy Center has repeatedly claimed to be on the verge of bankruptcy.
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Center → claim → bankruptcy
Last month, Trump said that the arts institution has lost "hundreds of millions" of dollars.
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institution → say → dollars
Trump has not offered evidence to support that claim.
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Trump → offer → claim
The Kennedy Center remains shut to the public while Trump and the center's board, most of whom were hand-selected by the president, fight in a federal court to shutter the institution for two years for a large-scale renovation.
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most → remain → renovation
Last month, Trump threatened to tear down the center if his name is not prominently displayed on the building.
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name → threaten → building
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