Chautauqua Institution today announced a series of events, activities and initiatives that will be part of the quintessential Chautauqua experience in the summer of 2024 to commemorate and celebrate the Institution’s 150th Anniversary. Organized around the theme The Seasons and Stories of Chautauqua, the anniversary calendar celebrates the dream of our founders, Lewis Miller and Bishop John Heyl Vincent, who together understood the importance of education across a lifetime. Their vision for Chautauqua called for Americans to make their leisure time matter by intentionally engaging in interdisciplinary and intergenerational learning and personal growth experiences. That vision has framed the main...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Joseph Futral to Senior Director of Program Operations and Production. In this role, Futral will project-manage major initiatives that involve production and programming resources. He will supervise production for all programs to continuously advance the operational and strategic aspects of production within the context of the Institution’s 150 Forward strategic plan. Futral returns to Chautauqua having served as the Institution’s first Director of Production during the COVID-19 pandemic. His role played a critical part in designing and operating our outdoor Performance Pavilion on Pratt for Theater and Opera. Holding esteemed leadership roles such...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Jill McCormick to the position of Director of Communications and Special Projects. In this role, McCormick will be responsible for developing and implementing communications plans to inform the public, news media, and internal audiences of Chautauqua’s programs and operations, bringing Chautauqua’s compelling mission to life through story. She will also serve as project manager for Chautauqua Travels, a new venture that brings Chautauqua’s mission to educational group travel experiences in the U.S. and abroad. McCormick comes to Chautauqua following a successful, 30+ year career in television news, serving in a variety of roles including...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the promotion of Senior Director of Marketing and Analytics Vanessa Weinert, to the role of vice president for marketing and communications. She replaces Emily Morris, who is stepping down from the vice-presidential role to focus on brand strategy in support of the Institution’s goals to grow Summer Assembly attendance and year-round engagement. Weinert has served the Institution since 2012 in a series of roles on the marketing team. Most recently, she was senior director of marketing and analytics with responsibility for leading and implementing marketing campaigns and the Institution’s data analytics program. As vice president, she will...
Chautauqua Institution announced today that Senior Vice President & Chief Advancement Officer Geof Follansbee will transition into a new role at the Institution, effective February 1. As Senior Philanthropic Advisor to the President, Follansbee will continue working closely with Chautauqua’s donors and President Michael Hill to advance the Institution’s fundraising priorities as expressed in Boundless, A Campaign for Chautauqua. Current Vice President of Advancement Amy Gardner will transition into the role of Senior Vice President & Chief Advancement Officer, assuming all management responsibilities for the Institution’s fundraising operations. “In my work as a director on the Chautauqua Foundation board and...
Chautauqua Institution is proud to announce that 2023 philanthropic activity totaled more than $36 million. This amount reflects a combination of outright and planned gifts and pledges to Chautauqua Institution and the Chautauqua Foundation. Of the total amount raised, $5.9 million was contributed to the Chautauqua Fund, the Institution’s annual giving program, through one-time and multi-year commitments. Furthermore, the Chautauqua Fund exceeded the Institution’s budgeted goal for 2023. These contributions are a significant component of the $106 million raised to date for Boundless, A Campaign for Chautauqua. “More than 2,800 unique donors contributed to this groundbreaking success, illustrating once again...
The following statement can be attributed to Michael E. Hill, president of Chautauqua Institution: “We applaud Governor Kathy Hochul’s commitment to science-based conservation efforts at Chautauqua Lake, as detailed in today’s State of the State address. Dedicated funding for this project underscores the cultural and ecological importance of Chautauqua Lake and the need to rid the lake of invasive weeds and toxic algae blooms that threaten its future. We look forward to working with state government, local entities and environmental organizations to guarantee that any state funds allocated to this project are utilized to implement “smart lake” technology to measure and...
Though many Chautauquans spend Thanksgiving away from our historic grounds, others return to enjoy the last blaze of fall colors before winter sets in. As you gather in gratitude with family and friends, either here at Chautauqua or in the communities you call home, please join us in reflecting on the meaningful impact philanthropy continues to have on the Institution. We invite you to read just a few examples of the many ways your gifts are making an impact on Chautauquans of every age today, and how future generations will benefit from your generous forethought. To every member of our...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Kwame Alexander to the role of Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts. Alexander will also serve as the Inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Chautauqua. A poet, educator, publisher, and Emmy-nominated producer, Alexander is the author of 40 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir; The Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor-winning picture book The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson; Becoming Muhammad Ali, co-authored with James Patterson; and the Newbery Medal-winning middle grade novel, The Crossover, now a television series on Disney+. His books have long...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Stephine Hunt to the permanent, full-time role of Manager of Literary Arts. Since 2017, Hunt has served Chautauqua Institution and supported Chautauqua Literary Arts programming as the manager of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC) Octagon in a seasonal and part-time capacity. She is a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in American Studies and a teaching assistant in the Department of Indigenous Studies at the University at Buffalo, as well as an adjunct instructor of English and Ethnic and Gender Studies at SUNY Fredonia. In the role of manager, Hunt will provide coordination and...
