The Kennedy Center has appointed Rick Canny, a talent manager whose past clients include rock acts such as ZZ Top and former Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee, to serve as the institution’s artistic director. The announcement was made through an internal email to senior staff from Matt Floca, the center’s executive director and chief operating officer.
Canny has been working as a consultant to the Kennedy Center since shortly after President Trump became the institution’s chairman in February 2025. According to Floca’s email, Canny will advise leadership on artistic strategy, business practices, talent curation, ticketing models, and programming sponsorships. Canny will maintain his consulting role through his firm, Favor the Artist, while simultaneously serving as artistic director. Since April 2025, he has worked on projects including the Kennedy Center Honors and the Mark Twain Prize.
The appointment has drawn scrutiny from Kennedy Center staff regarding Canny’s consulting fees. An internal memo obtained by NPR from the center’s then-senior director of music programming, Sammy Miller, detailed concerns about expenses charged during early 2026. Miller noted that Canny had charged the center $30,000 in consulting fees during one month and over $28,000 in fees and travel expenses in another month, which included first-class airfare between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The center later stated to The New York Times that the $30,000 fee did not reflect Canny’s current agreement, without providing additional details.
Floca, who was promoted to executive director in March and previously served as head of facilities with a background in construction management, lacks experience in arts administration, programming, or fundraising compared to leaders at similar performing arts venues nationally. Arts administrators contacted by NPR noted that performance bookings are typically scheduled years in advance, raising questions about programming continuity.
The Kennedy Center remains largely closed to the public as Trump and the board pursue a federal court case seeking a two-year closure for renovations. The institution maintains minimal public and educational programming while the closure dispute proceeds in court.
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