Grammy-nominated Mexican American singer Sonia De Los Santos has become the latest artist to cancel performances at the Kennedy Center, citing concerns over the venue’s current climate.

De Los Santos, whose 2018 album “¡Alegría!” received a Latin Grammy nomination for best children’s album, announced on Instagram that she would not proceed with two scheduled youth concerts and a creative conversation planned for February 7.

“As an artist, I treasure the freedom to create and share my music, and for many years I have used this privilege to uplift the stories of immigrants in this country,” De Los Santos wrote. “Unfortunately, I do not feel that the current climate at this beloved venue represents a welcoming space for myself, my band, or our audience.”

When contacted by The Associated Press, De Los Santos shared her Instagram statement but declined further comment. The Kennedy Center’s response came through spokesperson Roma Daravi, who challenged the artist’s reasoning.

“This country was built on legal immigrants and as a first generation American, I find her statement highly offensive,” Daravi stated. “Refusing to engage with an institution open to everyone is, in fact, a step towards discrimination.”

This cancellation adds to a growing exodus of performers from the prestigious Washington venue following significant leadership changes initiated by President Donald Trump in early 2023. After removing the previous leadership, Trump arranged to personally head the institution’s board of trustees as part of his broader campaign against what he terms “woke” bias in cultural institutions.

The controversy intensified in December when the Trump-appointed board voted to rebrand the venue as the “Trump-Kennedy Center.” This decision has been contested by scholars who note that such a name change would legally require congressional approval.

The rebranding sparked an immediate wave of cancellations. Jazz musician Chuck Redd withdrew from a planned Christmas Eve performance, while The Cookers, a renowned jazz ensemble, canceled their New Year’s Eve concerts.

Just last week, Grammy-winning banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck announced the cancellation of three scheduled performances with the National Symphony Orchestra next month. On social media, Fleck explained that playing at the center had become “charged and political.” In response, Ric Grenell, a Trump ally appointed to lead the center, accused Fleck of having “made it political and caved to the woke mob.”

The list of high-profile withdrawals continues to grow. Stephen Schwartz, composer of the hit musical “Wicked,” canceled his planned hosting of a spring opera gala. Additionally, the variety show Asian AF had its May performances first listed as canceled on the Kennedy Center website before being removed entirely, with Daravi attributing this to a “scheduling conflict.” Representatives for Asian AF have not responded to requests for comment.

The situation reflects the growing tension between the arts community and the changing institutional direction of one of America’s most prominent cultural venues. The Kennedy Center, historically viewed as a nonpartisan national cultural treasure, now finds itself at the center of a political dispute that has divided artists and administrators along ideological lines.

As more performers continue to reassess their relationships with the institution, the controversy raises broader questions about the intersection of politics, artistic expression, and cultural institutions in an increasingly polarized America. For artists like De Los Santos, whose work often celebrates immigration and cultural diversity, the decision to withdraw represents a principled stand against what they perceive as a fundamental shift in the center’s values and mission.