Although the future of the Kennedy Center itself remains in jeopardy, thanks to a legal tug of war, the institution’s vaunted annual honors will go on, albeit at a different venue.
The Kennedy Center announced Monday that Paul Anka, David Foster, Andy Garcia, David Mamet and Barbara Mandrell would be recognized at the 2026 recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors. They will be feted at a Dec. 7 ceremony at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. — the first time since the launch of the honors in 1978 that the event didn’t take place a the Kennedy Center. The landmark has been shuttered for months as President Donald Trump has attempted to add his name to the edifice and completely renovate the space despite pushback from federal courts.
—Paul Anka is a chart-topping singer and songwriter whose hits range from 1950s teenybopper classics “Diana” and “Puppy Love” to Frank Sinatra’s signature track, “My Way.” He’s a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
—David Foster is one of the most decorated composers and music producers, with 16 Grammy Awards and credits that include hits by Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, NSync, and Gloria Estefan.
—Andy Garcia has had an extensive screen career, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, the Ocean’s movies, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, and Landman. He has received an Oscar nomination and two Emmy nods and has won both a Latin Grammy and Grammy Award for producing Cuban musician Cachao’s record ¡Ahora Sí!.
—David Mamet is a Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony-nominated playwright and screenwriter whose classic dramas include Oleanna, American Buffalo, Speed-the-Plow, and Glengarry Glen Ross. He also is two-time Oscar nominee for his scripts, which include The Verdict, The Untouchables, Ronin, Hoffa, The Edge, The Spanish Prisoner, State and Main, House of Games, and Wag the Dog.
—Barbara Mandrell is a chart-topping country artist and TV host whose hits include “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed,” “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right,” and “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” Her accolades include the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year and the Academy of Country Music’s Pioneer Award. She is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Hall of Fame.
