NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent days, media outlets have inquired with performing artists, including Shen Yun Performing Arts, as to whether they would withdraw from The Kennedy Center to protest its board renaming the venue to The Trump Kennedy Center.
Shen Yun's mission is to share a message of beauty and hope that unites humanity around wholesome, universal values—values that transcend politics. We are looking forward to our January 7-18 run of shows in our nation's capital, much as we are with upcoming performances in over 170 venues around the world during our 2026 global tour.
To understand why we continue to perform throughout the free world wherever audiences welcome us, it helps to understand who we are and why we exist.
Shen Yun was founded in New York by Falun Gong practitioners amid horrific persecution in China, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has waged a brutal campaign against our faith since 1999. Falun Gong is a Buddhist-based spiritual practice that includes meditation and living by the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. Once celebrated in China, the practice was later targeted by CCP leaders due to its independence and enormous popularity—100 million people had taken up the practice by 1999. Beijing's campaign against Falun Gong has included mass arrests, forced labor, torture, death by torture, and even organ harvesting, resulting in thousands of confirmed deaths and millions imprisoned or displaced. This brutality is the latest chapter in over seven decades of CCP rule, which has systematically destroyed China's authentic cultural and spiritual heritage through campaigns like the Cultural Revolution.
Our artists know this pain intimately. Friends and loved ones have been tortured and killed for their faith. In fact, almost 100 artists with Shen Yun have immediate family, or themselves, experienced horrific persecution in China. Take our dance instructor Steven Wang: His father died in late 2009 after being severely tortured in prison, all for practicing Falun Gong. While Steven was on stage performing in 2023, his mother was sentenced to four years in prison for the same peaceful beliefs. The CCP has targeted his family because of his work with Shen Yun.
Stories like Steven's fuel our resolve—they remind us of the courage of millions in China who face CCP tyranny with peaceful defiance and deep faith.
Shen Yun's mission is to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture on the global stage and share the true story of China, including the bravery of its people, past and present. We bring a message of hope and inspiration to millions worldwide, fostering unity in a divided era. We believe all people, including those across the United States, deserve this uplifting experience.
We cannot perform in China; if we tried, our artists would be jailed or worse.
Outside China, Beijing has sought to sabotage our company, pressuring theaters and government leaders around the world to cancel our shows. Death and bomb threats, some of which have been traced back to China, target our headquarters in New York, venues where we perform, and supportive U.S. officials. Chinese agents have been arrested by the U.S. Department of Justice for bribery schemes aimed at triggering investigations or attempts to drum up bad press against us. Even our tour vehicles have been sabotaged, necessitating 24-hour security wherever we go.
Therefore, we cherish every opportunity to perform on stages in the U.S. and throughout the free world, including our nation's capital. Each performance carries the weight of a civilization nearly lost and the profound honor of reviving it.
We invite everyone—regardless of political persuasion—to set aside differences and join us. Shen Yun lifts the spirit, celebrates our shared humanity, and reminds us of the divine spark within each person. In these times of strife, it might just help bridge divides and bring us together.
We hope to see you at one of the more than 170 venues around the world where we will be performing over the next four months. For tickets and more information, visit ShenYun.com.
About Shen Yun Performing Arts
Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, founded in New York in 2006. With a mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun presents all-new productions each year, featuring world-class dancers, a live orchestra blending East and West, stunning digital backdrops, and handcrafted costumes. Shen Yun tours to over 170 cities across five continents annually, inspiring audiences with stories of beauty, wisdom, and hope. 2026 marks Shen Yun's 20th anniversary.
SOURCE Shen Yun Performing Arts
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