John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts , commonly known as the Kennedy Center , is the national cultural center of the United States, serving as a "living memorial" to John F. Kennedy. Located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the center opened September 8, 1971, and hosts many genres of performance art, spanning theater, ballet, modern dance, classical music, jazz, pop, psychedelic, and folk music. The Kennedy Center is the residence of the National Symphony Orchestra.

Authorized by the National Cultural Center Act of 1958, which requires that its programming be sustained through private funds, the center represents a public–private partnership. Its activities include educational and outreach initiatives, almost entirely funded through ticket sales and gifts from individuals, corporations, and private foundations. The center receives annual federal funding to cover building maintenance and operations.