Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sep 6: A section of the ceiling inside the Kennedy Center’s grand foyer collapsed Friday evening, scattering debris across the red carpet and intensifying the ongoing debate over plans to close the historic arts venue for major renovations.

No one was injured in the incident, Kennedy Center Vice President for Public Relations Roma Daravi said. Photos released by the center showed a large hole in the high ceiling and debris covering part of the hallway connecting the Kennedy Center’s three main performance auditoriums. The collapse occurred during stormy weather in Washington.

The Kennedy Center’s Trump-aligned board is seeking to close the venue for two years for a proposed $250 million renovation project. The board is also fighting a legal battle over plans to add President Donald Trump’s name to the building’s facade.

Daravi described the ceiling collapse as another indication of the need to close the center for renovation and revitalisation. She blamed decades of deferred maintenance under previous leadership and said there was no justification for further delays in carrying out the planned work.

Trump’s efforts to reshape the Kennedy Center have become part of his broader second-term agenda to transform prominent sites and institutions in Washington. The Kennedy Center was established as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy following his assassination.

The renovation and naming plans have faced strong legal and political opposition. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in May that Trump’s name had been added to the Kennedy Center illegally and ordered its removal. He also blocked the administration from closing the venue for renovations.

The dispute remains before the court following an August vote by the Kennedy Center board to restore Trump’s name to the facade. The proposed wording identifies the building as the “John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump.” Justice Department lawyers have argued that donations needed for the renovation could decline without Trump’s name on the building.

Other changes at the center have also drawn attention. Last week, the venue removed “Blue”, a large stick-figure sculpture by late artist Joel Shapiro that had stood outside the Kennedy Center since 2019. The center did not give a reason for its removal but said it was honoured to have been the work’s steward.

Opponents of the proposed closure have questioned whether Friday’s ceiling damage warrants shutting down the entire complex. Grace Terpstra, founder of the community group Keep the KC, said she believed the board could use the incident to argue that broader structural problems require the venue to be closed.

The ceiling collapse comes as the Kennedy Center remains at the centre of a wider political fight over its future, with supporters of the renovation citing maintenance concerns and opponents warning against major changes to an institution created to honour Kennedy.