Exclusive: Kennedy Center taps rock band manager to oversee programming for when it reopens

The Kennedy Center plans to name a longtime talent manager who worked with several prominent rock stars from the 1980s and ‘90s to take over artistic programming at Washington’s premier performing arts center and start lining up shows and acts for when it reopens.

Rick Canny, who has been working as an outside consultant with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, will soon be elevated to an executive artistic director position, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

Canny’s hiring has buoyed hope among arts watchers that the Kennedy Center – mired in recent months in a court fight over its renovation and controversy over adding President Donald Trump’s name to the building – will refocus on upcoming seasons after the planned two-year construction project.

However, multiple sources inside and outside the Kennedy Center say they’re concerned about Canny’s lack of a traditional artistic pedigree in the genres for which the center is known and question which direction he will take it.

The position would give Matt Floca, the center’s executive director and chief operating officer, another top leader to focus specifically on programming, a move that was anticipated when Floca was elevated to his own job in March.

Because Floca’s experience is in facilities management, sources told CNN that the expectation at that time was a second leader would be needed to fulfill the broader needs of an arts institution.

Canny, who worked in Los Angeles for years, has a deep background in managing A-list musicians, including Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee, Creed frontman Scott Stapp and Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, among others.

According to LinkedIn, Canny also worked with Navarro on Above Ground, a nonprofit that seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues.

The Kennedy Center did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. Canny also did not respond to requests for comment.

Canny’s lack of experience managing a more traditional arts roster that the Kennedy Center typically features, has raised some eyebrows.

“He didn’t study in school any of the disciplines ,” a source close to the Kennedy Center said, adding that he doesn’t “understand ballet, opera versus jazz.”

“He’s a music agent,” the source said.

Canny faces the monumental task of reviving the Kennedy Center’s programming after it was hit hard, along with much of the performing arts industry, by the loss of audiences during the Covid pandemic.

Its financial picture has only worsened since Trump got involved, with bleeding ticket sales and boycotts from performers.

“He’s going to be fighting a really hard battle,” a source close to the Kenney Center said, noting that it may be difficult to lure many of the artists and programs back to the center with Trump’s affiliation.

Trump, who is chairman of the board, previously criticized the center’s “woke political programming” and blamed much of the slumping ticket sales on to those choices of shows and acts. Under his leadership, the schedule was overhauled and more “family-friendly” programming, like “Dog Man: The Musical,” was added.

Meanwhile, the Kennedy Center’s future is still being litigated in court. A federal court has ordered it to find a way to remain open during renovations, but the institution’s leaders say they need time to assess safety risks. And Trump threatened to demolish the building after his efforts to put his name on it were rejected by the court.

Going forward, Floca will oversee the building management and renovations, and Canny will be charged with building out programming for the reopening that’s expected in 2028.

A source close to the Kennedy Center said that Floca has expressed exhaustion recently, as he has had to manage the legal battle, steer the renovations and maintenance and oversee many departments where he doesn’t have experience, including programming.

肯尼迪中心计划任命一位曾与上世纪 80 年代和 90 年代多位著名摇滚明星合作过的资深艺人经纪人，负责华盛顿首屈一指的表演艺术中心的艺术节目策划，并开始为中心重新开放后安排演出和节目。

据两位知情人士透露，一直担任约翰·F·肯尼迪表演艺术中心外部顾问的里克·坎尼，即将升任执行艺术总监一职。

坎尼的聘用提振了艺术观察家们的希望，他们认为肯尼迪中心——近几个月来一直深陷于一场关于其翻新工程的法庭斗争以及将唐纳德·特朗普总统的名字添加到建筑物上的争议——将在计划为期两年的建设项目结束后重新专注于即将到来的演出季。

然而，肯尼迪中心内外多位消息人士表示，他们担心坎尼缺乏该中心所擅长的传统艺术背景，并质疑他将带领中心走向何方。

这一职位将为中心执行董事兼首席运营官马特·弗洛卡提供另一位专注于项目规划的高级领导，这一举措在弗洛卡于 3 月份升任其职位时就已经预料到了。

由于弗洛卡的经验在于设施管理，消息人士告诉 CNN，当时的预期是需要第二位领导人来满足艺术机构更广泛的需求。

曾在洛杉矶工作多年的坎尼在管理一线音乐人方面有着丰富的经验，其中包括 Motley Crue 乐队的 Tommy Lee、Creed 乐队主唱 Scott Stapp 和 Jane's Addiction 乐队吉他手 Dave Navarro 等。

根据 LinkedIn 的信息，Canny 还曾与 Navarro 一起在 Above Ground 工作，这是一个旨在提高人们对心理健康问题的认识的非营利组织。

肯尼迪中心未回应CNN的置评请求。坎尼也未回应置评请求。

坎尼缺乏管理肯尼迪中心通常以传统艺术演出为主的阵容的经验，这引起了一些人的质疑。

一位接近肯尼迪中心的消息人士称：“他在学校里没有学习过任何学科”，并补充说他“不了解芭蕾舞、歌剧和爵士乐的区别”。

“他是一名音乐经纪人，”消息人士说。

坎尼面临着一项艰巨的任务：在新冠疫情期间，肯尼迪中心和许多表演艺术行业一样，因观众流失而遭受重创，该中心的节目制作也因此受到严重打击。

自特朗普介入以来，该剧院的财务状况每况愈下，门票销售额大幅下滑，并遭到演员抵制。

一位接近肯尼中心的消息人士表示：“他将面临一场非常艰难的战斗。”该消息人士指出，由于特朗普与该中心有关联，可能很难吸引许多艺术家和项目重返该中心。

身为董事会主席的特朗普此前曾批评该中心“觉醒政治节目”，并将票房下滑很大程度上归咎于这些节目的选择。在他的领导下，节目安排进行了调整，增加了更多“合家欢”节目，例如《狗狗侠：音乐剧》。

与此同时，肯尼迪中心的未来仍在法庭上悬而未决。联邦法院已下令该中心在翻修期间必须找到继续开放的办法，但中心领导层表示他们需要时间评估安全风险。此外，特朗普曾威胁要拆除这座建筑，此前他试图将自己的名字印在建筑上，但遭到法院驳回。

接下来，弗洛卡将负责建筑管理和翻新工作，而坎尼将负责制定预计于 2028 年重新开放的计划。

一位接近肯尼迪中心的消息人士称，弗洛卡最近表示非常疲惫，因为他不得不处理法律诉讼、指导翻新和维护工作，还要监督许多他没有经验的部门，包括节目策划。