Kevin Couch, who was announced as the Kennedy Center’s new head of artistic programming on January 16th, has resigned from the position. Couch confirmed his departure in a statement to the New York Times, but did not give a reason.
Couch was hired on January 16th to succeed Jeffrey Finn, the long-tenured executive who departed in September 2025 following the center’s leadership overhaul. At the time of his appointment, Couch expressed pride in joining what has been controversially rebranded as the “Trump-Kennedy Center,” citing a desire to “deliver meaningful experiences at America’s cultural center” during a “pivotal moment.”
However, Couch’s brief tenure coincided with a snowballing boycott by the arts community, with major figures including Philip Glass, Renée Fleming, and the Martha Graham Dance Company all having severed ties with the Kennedy Center in protest of its new political direction.
Consequence has reached out to Kennedy Center representatives for comment.
