Deborah Rutter, who has led the Kennedy Center for more than a decade, will step down at the end of the year.

Rutter has presided over an expansion of the center, both in programming and in a new arts facility called the Reach. She also navigated through the 18-month closure of the center during the Covid pandemic, which forced the cancellation of shows and the loss of ticket revenue.

In a statement, Rutter said, “After more than 10 extraordinary years in Washington, D.C., collaborating with some of the most phenomenal artists, cultural leaders, diplomats, philanthropists, volunteers, and administrators, I have come to believe it is time to pass the torch. It has been a great honor to work with the best in the world. It is time now to hand this truly unique institution to a new leader who will take the power and majesty of the arts to the next level.