Kennedy Center Leases Space to Spirit Halloween to Fund Renovations

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, has entered into a temporary lease arrangement with Spirit Halloween to generate additional revenue for its upcoming $250 million renovation project, scheduled to start this summer. According to an anonymous Kennedy Center employee who spoke to Hyperallergic, the institution sought this alternative funding source after federal money originally earmarked for the capital improvements was redirected to and used by the Department of War. The lease agreement reportedly requires Spirit Halloween to stock certain controversial items, such as Native American costumes, Hula skirts, Afro wigs, turbans, and realistic prop guns, in an effort to counter the Center's reputation for 'woke' programming, a label applied by former President Donald Trump last year. The same source claimed that Spirit Halloween declined to sell KKK costumes as requested by the board. The temporary tenancy is set to begin in the second week of September. Neither the Kennedy Center nor Spencer Gifts, Spirit Halloween's parent company, provided comments to Hyperallergic. Another anonymous source indicated that the board is considering a similar arrangement with a seasonal Christmas shop in the future.