The Kennedy Center is preparing to transition its ticketing operations to Ticketmaster, a move that has raised significant questions about potential conflicts of interest within the institution's leadership. This change comes after decades of using Tessitura, a not-for-profit platform that has been a staple for many arts organizations since its development by the Metropolitan Opera in 1995.
The decision to switch platforms has caused a notable delay in ticket sales for the upcoming Kennedy Center Honors, scheduled for December 7 at Capital One Arena. The event will honor Paul Anka, David Foster, Andy Garcia, David Mamet, and Barbara Mandrell. As of November 11, the center has only provided a submission form for interested buyers, with no clear timeline for when tickets will be officially released.
Current and former staff members, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid workplace repercussions, indicated that the delay is directly linked to the transition process. They noted that the center had been using Tessitura for decades, and the switch to Ticketmaster is a major operational shift that has complicated the usual ticket distribution process.
Concerns have intensified due to the concurrent roles held by Richard Grenell, who served as the center's president from February to March 2025. During his tenure, Grenell was also a paid board member at Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster. SEC filings show he received over $260,000 in compensation and stock from Live Nation in 2025, a sum significantly higher than his reported pay at the Kennedy Center, where his most recent tax filings list his salary as zero.
Columbia Law School professor Richard Briffault described the situation as a literal conflict of interest. He explained that holding a fiduciary duty to the Kennedy Center while having a financial stake in a vendor negotiating with that same entity creates a problematic overlap of loyalties.
Kennedy Center spokesperson PJ Elliott stated that discussions about moving to Ticketmaster began in the spring of 2024, predating Grenell's appointment. Elliott claimed the center had outgrown its previous system and that the agreement followed standard procurement reviews. However, two sources familiar with the 2024 discussions said Ticketmaster was not seriously considered at that time.
A former senior executive expressed opposition to the switch, noting that Tessitura allowed the center to manage its own data and customer relationships effectively. The executive argued that Ticketmaster was not in active negotiation with the center during the earlier period, contrary to the spokesperson's timeline.
The ticketing decision is now largely overseen by Rick Canny, the new artistic director named last month. Canny, a former talent agent, has been a consultant to the center since April 2025. In an email obtained by NPR, Canny stated that he had been advising on the Ticketmaster deal for nearly a year and was reviewing the final agreement. He also mentioned that unionized box office workers had impeded the initial progress of the deal.
The center recently laid off its IATSE union box office staff following the closure of its main building for a two-year renovation planned under the direction of President Trump. The shift to Ticketmaster occurs while the company faces ongoing legal scrutiny, including a recent federal antitrust suit where a jury found Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as a monopoly.
Experts in nonprofit arts management argue that Tessitura offers a unified system for fundraising, membership, and ticket sales, which is crucial for institutions that rely on a mix of earned and donated income. They suggest that replicating these functions with a commercial platform like Ticketmaster could be costly and less tailored to the specific needs of a nonprofit arts organization.
