Chautauqua Institution and Chautauqua Cinema today announced a plan to integrate operations to create a more seamless and enhanced guest experience.

The first phase of this integration will take place during the 2021 season, when Chautauqua Cinema and Chautauqua Institution will work more closely together. Chautauqua Cinema will provide support and leadership for all motion picture experiences on the Institution grounds, including planned outdoor movies as well as selected events in the Chautauqua Amphitheater, with films being presented at Chautauqua Cinema as COVID-19 regulations permit.

The second phase of the plan will occur starting in fall 2021, when Chautauqua Cinema as a separate corporate entity will be dissolved, and Chautauqua Institution will assume responsibility for its operations. Chautauqua Cinema owner Billy Schmidt will then become a seasonal staff member of the Institution to provide leadership for Cinema operations during the summer and shoulder months.

“We have always enjoyed a positive and collaborative relationship with Chautauqua Cinema,” said Emily Morris, senior vice president and chief brand officer. “This move is designed to enable cinema to thrive at Chautauqua, both within the Summer Assembly and beyond, by integrating it more fully into Institution operations, which ultimately will make for a better guest experience.”

Schmidt says he is extremely optimistic about the possibilities this integration presents.

“The movie business has changed profoundly, and independent theaters around the world are either closing their doors or responding with creative strategies and partnerships,” Schmidt said. “I look forward to working with my Institution colleagues to extend our visibility within Chautauqua, to deepen our integration, and to ensure that our beloved Cinema will remain an oasis, where the value of ‘film as art’ can be nurtured for decades to come.”

Chautauqua Institution will consider ways to continue to honor existing Chautauqua Cinema memberships following the integration.

The schedule of 2021 Chautauqua Cinema films and events will be announced as they are booked.