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Kennedy Center Official Resigns After Less Than Two Weeks
Kevin Couch stepped down as senior vice president of artistic programming at the Trump-led arts organization.
Jan. 29, 2026 at 12:23pm
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Kevin Couch, the newly appointed head of artistic programming at the Kennedy Center, has resigned from his post after less than two weeks on the job. Couch told The New York Times that he left his position of senior vice president of artistic programming on Wednesday, but did not provide a reason for his resignation. The Kennedy Center had announced his hiring on January 16.
Why it matters
Couch's sudden resignation comes amid growing controversy and artist boycotts of the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump appointed himself as chair and ousted several prior board members, replacing them with his own picks. The board also voted to rename the institution the Trump Kennedy Center, leading many prominent artists to withdraw programming from the center.
The details
Jeffrey Finn, who previously held the position of senior vice president of artistic programming and was also executive producer of theater, left his post in September after close to a decade at the arts organization. A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Couch's resignation. Couch came to the role after serving as director of Programming for ATG Entertainment, where he booked musical, comedy and non-theatrical programming for venues in San Antonio, Tulsa, Little Rock and Springfield.
- Kevin Couch was announced as the new senior vice president of artistic programming on January 16, 2026.
- Couch resigned from his position on January 29, 2026.
The players
Kevin Couch
The newly appointed senior vice president of artistic programming at the Kennedy Center who resigned from his position less than two weeks after being hired.
Jeffrey Finn
The previous senior vice president of artistic programming and executive producer of theater at the Kennedy Center, who left his post in September after close to a decade at the organization.
Donald Trump
The President of the United States who appointed himself as chair of the Kennedy Center and ousted several prior board members, replacing them with his own picks.
Richard Grenell
The Kennedy Center President who welcomed Kevin Couch to the "Trump Kennedy Center" at the time of his hiring announcement.
What they’re saying
“We are proud to welcome Kevin Couch to the Trump Kennedy Center as we expand our commonsense programming. Kevin brings a clear-eyed approach to curating a roster of compelling shows that invite and inspire all audiences.”
— Richard Grenell, Kennedy Center President
The takeaway
Couch's sudden resignation highlights the ongoing turmoil and controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center since President Trump's takeover of the organization, which has led to numerous high-profile artist boycotts and programming withdrawals from the renowned arts institution.
