A Washington, D.C. judge has ordered the Kennedy Center to pay more than $250,000 in legal fees to jazz musician Chuck Redd after the institution unsuccessfully sued him for cancelling a Christmas Eve performance in protest against the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the venue.
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Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier made the order on Monday and gave the Kennedy Center 45 days to make the payment.
Redd, who had hosted the centre’s Christmas Eve jazz concert for nearly two decades, cancelled his scheduled performance less than a week before the event after the Kennedy Center’s board voted to rename the institution to include Trump’s name.
The Kennedy Center subsequently sued Redd in March, alleging that his withdrawal amounted to a breach of contract and caused reputational, marketing and concert preparation losses.
The centre argued that Redd’s decision forced it to cancel the Christmas Eve Jazz Jam at short notice, depriving members of the public of the annual concert.
The lawsuit, however, failed.
In June, Judge Jones Bosier dismissed the action after finding that the Kennedy Center had not established a valid breach of contract claim because Redd had never signed an agreement before cancelling his appearance.
The judge subsequently awarded Redd more than $250,000 in legal fees arising from the litigation.
One of Redd’s lawyers, Lisa Banks, said the action against the musician was without merit and had been brought after he publicly opposed the renaming of the institution.
She said the court correctly dismissed the case after finding that no contract existed and that the Kennedy Center had failed to establish damages.
The Kennedy Center, however, has indicated that it intends to appeal the latest decision.
The dispute arose after Trump’s handpicked board voted to add his name to the institution, a move that triggered objections from artists and performers.
Redd said at the time that he was saddened by the name change and subsequently withdrew from the Christmas Eve performance.
His decision drew a sharp response from then-Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell, a longtime Trump ally, who criticised Redd for pulling out at short notice.
Grenell described the cancellation as intolerant and costly to the nonprofit performing arts institution, arguing that the renaming recognised Trump’s efforts in relation to the centre.
Grenell was later replaced as head of the Kennedy Center in March.
The controversy over the renaming extended beyond Redd.
Several other artists and performing groups also withdrew from scheduled appearances following the addition of Trump’s name, including jazz group The Cookers, New York-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers, and folk singer-songwriter Kristy Lee.
The centre also reportedly experienced weaker ticket sales during the holiday period.
Following further legal disputes, Trump’s name was later removed from the exterior of the building and from the Kennedy Center’s website in June.
The latest ruling therefore adds a significant financial consequence to the failed lawsuit against Redd, with the court requiring the Kennedy Center to cover more than $250,000 in the performer’s legal expenses.
The institution has nevertheless maintained that it will challenge the decision on appeal.
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