[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E657-E658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING MICHAEL KAISER, PRESIDENT OF THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR 
                          THE PERFORMING ARTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2014

  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, for nearly 15 years, Michael Kaiser has 
served excellently as President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the 
Performing Arts in our nation's capital. Throughout his distinguished 
career, Michael's talents and devotion to the arts have helped 
establish the Kennedy Center as one of the nation's premiere 
performance venues, a destination for artistic talent and a bustling 
hub of creativity. This weekend, the Kennedy Center community will 
gather to pay tribute to Michael's outstanding leadership as he steps 
down from his post later this year.
  Since he took the helm in 2001, Michael Kaiser has enthusiastically 
and passionately embraced the mission of the Kennedy Center, always 
maintaining, as President Kennedy once said, that ``The life of the 
arts . . . is close to the center of a nation's purpose--and is a test 
to the quality of a nation's civilization.''

[[Page E658]]

  Under Michael's leadership, the Kennedy Center has featured voices 
and visions across the disciplines of the performing arts. He has 
produced wonderful theatrical works that received national acclaim--
some of which have garnered Tony Award nominations when they appeared 
on Broadway. He has presented multiple international festivals that 
showcased arts from around the world and established the Center as a 
model for cultural diplomacy. He has hosted every major national and 
international dance company. Most recently, he oversaw the Center's 
merger with the Washington National Opera, ensuring that our nation's 
capital will continue to experience the wonders of the opera.
  Michael has embarked on an extensive effort to train arts managers 
across the country and throughout the world. Acknowledging that great 
art demands great managers, he conceived a program to bring the next 
generation of arts leaders together to learn best practices for 
directing cultural institutions, small and large. He launched a program 
called ``Arts in Crisis'' to provide free consultation to arts managers 
across the country. As part of this effort, he traveled to all 50 
states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia to lead arts 
management symposia.
  Michael has a unique vision that advances both artistic expression 
and cultural diplomacy--the power of the arts to connect peoples, 
communities, and nations. He has dedicated himself to enriching 
artistic expression and disseminating it in a way that builds bridges 
across borders and fosters international good will.
  Michael's intellect, enthusiasm, and passion helped the Kennedy 
Center grow and thrive. We thank him for his years of leadership and 
wish him the best in the years to come.

                          ____________________