The Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater is a smaller venue that typically features everything from A-list classical music recitals to dance performances to film screenings.
The venue in the US capital's venerable arts complex is also available for rent, and yesterday, it hosted a different kind of event: a conference on "ending Christian persecution" organized by the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
The series of lectures bookended by prayers is emblematic of the overhaul at the centre engineered by Donald Trump since his return to the White House in January.
"The calculation has changed now - it has become more of a government arts organisation," Andrew Taylor, director of the arts management program at American University, said.
During his first term, the Republican billionaire never attended the annual fundraising gala for recipients of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors, as many of those artists vocally opposed his policies.
This time, Mr Trump moved quickly to make the center his own, purging the board of trustees of its Democratic appointees and ousting its president as part of a wider assault on federally funded cultural institutions he deems too "woke."
He installed himself as the chair of the board for the towering white monument to slain president John F Kennedy facing the Potomac River, which opened in 1971.
In less than a year, some observers say, the status of the centre - a public-private partnership - as a nonpartisan celebration of artistic excellence has largely evaporated.
Mr Taylor said the centre was now "fully aligned with the current administration, and not an independent arbiter of artistic excellence anymore".
The centre's new president, former diplomat Richard Grenell, has repeatedly spoken about what he calls "common sense and traditional programming".
Some artists have cancelled their appearances, and the producers of smash Broadway hit "Hamilton" have scrapped a run scheduled to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Meanwhile, in September, a prayer vigil was organised at the centre for conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, after his murder in Utah.
At the CPAC event, near a large American flag, the keynote speaker was Jennifer Korn, the faith director of the White House Faith Office.
She praised Mr Trump for creating the office, which he did in February to "protect religious liberty," according to an executive order - a concept already established in the Constitution's First Amendment.
But she quickly shifted to echo some of the administration's talking points about "anti-Christian bias" and the dangers of "transgender books" for children.
In the Concert Hall, Mr Grenell has ordered the National Symphony Orchestra to play the national anthem ahead of each performance, rather than just to open the season.
The shift in tone at the Kennedy Center - down to the portrait of a brooding Mr Trump in the entryway - may be bad for business.
A Washington Post analysis revealed that ticket sales for orchestra, dance and theatre performances are down sharply in 2025 as compared to last year.
Since early September, 43% of tickets remained unsold for typical concerts or musical performances, the paper said - as opposed to just seven percent of seats available last year.
The decline in sales has not stopped Mr Trump from undertaking major renovations at the centre - from the carpets to the chandeliers to the heating - and musing about putting his name on the complex.
"I just inspected the construction on The Kennedy Center. It is really looking good!" Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"My people are doing a really great job! We are bringing this building back to life. It was dead as a doornail, but it will soon be beautiful again!"
