Keep Your Peace and Do Not Work Here - Assistant Manager Kennedy Center Employee Review

1.0
13 Sept 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Most of the staff is mission driven and deeply cares about the arts. The bells and whistles of this job are very appealing at first. The proximity to talent and special events makes you feel like your job is important.

Cons

This will not be the job you dreamed of. You will experience low pay, poor morale, disorganization, little to zero training, and extreme toxic environments. I thought it was maybe just my department but employees peel off from every department due to the toxicity. I had multiple instances where I tried to open up to leadership on my team about my experience and the problems were either pushed back on to me, excuses were made or my words were twisted to use against other employees. You will not feel valued. You will be reminded of how much worse things used to be, the past team had it much worse and this is better. While the building is iconic, staff are hidden away in bunker like offices that have zero natural light. The technology is very out of date, they are still using Microsoft 2016. The hours are hard on many team. For the biggest event of the year, you'll work shy of 100 hours in one week and be told a month later to take off a couple of days. The group I onboarded with experienced weight gain and a decline in our mental health after starting this job. Do not ignore the other negative reviews. Stay away.

Explore other reviews about Kennedy Center

5.0
14 Oct 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fairly easy and flexible part-time job Great place to work for an arts lover

Cons

Long hours standing on feet

1.0
22 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was/is the most wonderful place to showcase arts.

Cons

The changes that have happened are atrocious and have taken away the wonderful variety for show and patrons that graced the hall and theaters. It is sad to see this place died a slow horrible death because of jealousy.

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