Adrienne Arsht, a major philanthropist whose generosity has been keenly felt in Washington and Miami, has donated $5 million to the Kennedy Center to support of musical theater programming.

In a statement released Thursday, Kennedy Center president Michael Kaiser noted Arsht's "longstanding relationship with the Kennedy Center" and said her latest gift means that the public "will be able to continue to enjoy wonderful theatrical productions for years to come." Arsht said that she had "experienced first-hand the unbelievable memories the Kennedy Center creates" and looked forward to supporting working "many more history making seasons and performances."

Arsht is a major underwriter for the Kennedy Center’s Arts in Crisis project, which was launched to help nonprofit performing arts organizations throughout the country in dealing with the pressures of the weakened economy. A $30 million donation in 2008 to a struggling arts center in South Florida proved a substantial boost; the venue is now called the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Other beneficiaries of Arsht's generosity include Goucher College; her $2 million gift in 2005 established the Roxana Cannon Arsht Center for Ethics and Leadership, in memory of her mother.