The Obama Foundation Announces Grand Opening Ceremony Event Performers
A historic celebration of democracy, culture, service, and hope to take place June 18th in Chicago and livestreamed to the world
June 16, 2026 at 2:30 PM CDT
CHICAGO — The Obama Foundation today announced the performers scheduled to take the stage at the Obama Presidential Center’s Grand Opening Ceremony on June 18. The historic event, held at the Center’s John Lewis Plaza, marks a milestone for the city of Chicago and communities around the world. The ceremony will bring together global leaders, artists, changemakers, and citizens for an inspiring celebration of the values that shaped the Obama presidency and continue to power civic engagement across generations.
Located on Chicago’s South Side, the Obama Presidential Center is a global hub designed to inspire, empower, and connect people to create change. Beginning June 19, visitors of all ages will be invited to explore the open campus, engage with immersive exhibits and public programs, and discover how they can make a difference in their own communities. Celebratory events will continue through the weekend, offering a preview of programming that will bring the entire campus to life throughout the year and beyond.
“This Grand Opening ceremony will be unlike any other — filled with music, performances, and hope,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “The Grand Opening Ceremony will reflect a spirit of inspiration and joy, with a big boost from the performers who are sharing their talent with us. We hope to inspire people everywhere to believe in their power to bring change home.”
The Grand Opening Ceremony will be livestreamed globally beginning at 11 a.m. Central Time on obama.org , and on The Obama Foundation’s TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook accounts.
Performers taking part in the June 18 ceremony will include:
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artists The Roots
Multiple GRAMMY, Oscar, Golden Globe, and Special Tony Award-winning artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Springsteen
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artist Christina Aguilera
Multiple GRAMMY, Oscar, and Emmy Award-winning artist Common
Multiple GRAMMY, Golden Globe Award-winning artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Vedder
Multiple GRAMMY, Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson
Multiple GRAMMY, Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning artist John Legend
Multiple GRAMMY and Oscar Award-winning artist Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Stevie Wonder
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artist Marc Anthony
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artist Tems
Multiple GRAMMY Award-winning artists, multiple Golden Globe winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, and Kennedy Center Honorees U2’s Bono and The Edge
Actress and producer Marsai Martin
The Obama Presidential Center opens to the public on June 19. While Museum tickets are sold out for opening weekend, the rest of the campus is free and accessible for the general public.
The Grand Opening Weekend of the Obama Presidential Center is made possible through the generous support of GCM Grosvenor, Abbott, BMO, ITW, and Northern Trust.
For more information, visit Obama.org .
About The Obama Foundation
The Obama Foundation is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world. That mission begins on the South Side of Chicago, where the Foundation is building the Obama Presidential Center. But that approach extends to all our work, whether it’s holding leadership training sessions in communities throughout the U.S., bringing local leaders together in countries around the world, working to support the global education of girls, or ensuring young men of color have pathways to opportunity. From every corner of the globe, our program participants are working together to address some of the biggest challenges of our time—from renewing our democratic institutions, protecting LGBTQ+ rights, fighting climate change, and so much more.
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Contact: Emily Bittner, press@obama.org