Today’s AJ highlights: The lead story remains the Kennedy Center. Following the news of Trump’s two-year closure of the Kennedy Center, reports now suggest the shutdown may be as much about a total lack of 2026-2027 programming as it is about renovations (CNN). While Donald Trump has promised to “use the steel” of the existing structure, critics warn that the building’s basic function, legacy, and audience are at grave risk of being erased (Washington Post (MSN)). This administrative mess apparently left several board members in the dark while neglecting the fate of the National Symphony and touring Broadway shows (Washington Post (MSN)).
For the first time since 1994, Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel will undergo a three-month restoration to remove a “whitish haze” of microparticles deposited by 6 million annual visitors (AP). In France, however, the past may be removed entirely; a proposed repatriation law has sparked warnings that French museums could “empty out” as artifacts are returned to former African colonies to repair diplomatic relations (The Times).
The battle for creative authenticity has reached a new threshold of data. While a new study finds that AI can beat the “average” human on creativity tests, it still fails to outperform the top 25% of human thinkers (Singularity Hub). This data-driven pragmatism is echoed by Gen Z, whose relationship with AI is reportedly more utilitarian than personal (Harvard Business Review). At the Grammys, female winners saw a dramatic drop to 23%, the lowest level since 2022 (The Conversation).
Finally, we mark the passing of Woodie King Jr., the titan who founded the New Federal Theatre and launched the careers of legends like Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman (AP).
All of our stories below.
