John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts - the nation’s living memorial to JFK

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, established by Congress as the national cultural center and living memorial to President Kennedy, opened in 1971 and serves as a single federally chartered performing-arts center for the nation. The Center hosts a wide range of performing arts, including theater, ballet, orchestral music, and television broadcasts, and it administers the Kennedy Center Honors. Its dual role as a working national performing arts institution and a memorial established by congressional charter distinguishes it among U.S. cultural institutions.