Deborah Rutter, who has led the Kennedy Center for more than a decade, will step down at the end of the year.
Rutter has presided over an expansion of the center, both in programming and in a new arts facility called the REACH. She also navigated through the 18-month closure of the center during the Covid pandemic, which forced the cancellation of shows and the loss of ticket revenue.
In a statement, Rutter said, “After more than 10 extraordinary years in Washington, D.C., collaborating with some of the most phenomenal artists, cultural leaders, diplomats, philanthropists, volunteers, and administrators, I have come to believe it is time to pass the torch. It has been a great honor to work with the best in the world. It is time now to hand this truly unique institution to a new leader who will take the power and majesty of the arts to the next level.”
During her tenure, the operating budget grew to $268 million. About $45 million of that comes from a federal appropriation for operation, maintenance and improvements of the complex, with much of the remainder from ticket revenue and contributions.
David Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center, had announced last year that he was planning to step down, but agreed to remain in the role through September 2026.
The Kennedy Center said that a search committee has been formed to find her successor, and the firm Spencer Stuart would be assisting in the process.
The center faces some uncertainty with the new administration. Donald Trump declined to attend the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term, while his administration proposed a massive scale back of federal arts funding. But the board of the Kennedy Center is made up of appointees from Trump’s first term and from that of Joe Biden’s tenure.
