“I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty.”
—President John F. Kennedy (Amherst, Massachusetts, October 26, 1963)
In 2026, the United States will come together to mark a momentous occasion: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As we reflect on our nation’s progress and acknowledge the work yet to be done, our collective cultural journey gives us the opportunity to engage, evolve, and elevate the narrative of our nation’s story.
Over the semiquincentennial year, the Kennedy Center’s programming will uplift and empower artists who speak to the promise of our country and the promise of our peoples, organized into three inspiration pillars: Sounds of US, Stories of US, and Future of US.
Across the campus in 2026, we will celebrate American choreographers, explore American stories, ideals, conflicts, and compositions through a cycle of works from Washington National Opera, welcome back Hamilton and uplift the American musical theater tradition, and commission new works by American composers across all musical genres for the Kennedy Center and National Symphony Orchestra.
We will ask questions together, like “What does America sound like?” and invite artists, audiences, and communities alike to join in creating concerts, convenings, new works, and conversation across the country. We will look to the next generation of promise and the possibilities that the future holds for American culture, embodying the aspiration to elevate our collective vision. And we will celebrate courage, bravery, and the American spirit in a new four-week summer festival, America the Fearless.
The strength of our promise is what we can create together. Throughout 2026, the Kennedy Center will be collaborating with the Library of Congress, National Archives, the National Geographic Society, PBS, and more organizations to be announced, to build exciting programs and opportunities for audiences and participants in D.C. and across the nation.
And we also invite you to be a part of the celebration along the way, starting with Portraits of US—where you can submit an artistic self-portrait to be included in a mosaic of artwork featured at the Center and digitally throughout our celebrations.
Explore the website for more about The Promise of US and check back in the coming months as we share more details on 2026 programming.
Read the programmers’ notes: Discover the inspiration behind The Promise of US
