Each Receives $100,000 Grant to Further Democracy Work Chautauqua Institution proudly introduces Melody Barnes and David French as the inaugural recipients of the Chautauqua Perry Fellowship in Democracy. Barnes is the executive director of the Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia; French is a widely read opinion columnist at The New York Times. Both will be able to use the distinction and funding afforded by the Perry Fellowship to further democracy-focused personal and professional projects of their choice, in addition to their roles with their home institutions and shared projects with Chautauqua Institution. This announcement comes just...
Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC), the resident theater company of Chautauqua Institution, today announced its New Play Workshops for the 2024 season. CTC’s audience will have the chance to experience plays at every stage of development, showcasing the work of the country’s most exciting playwrights. From a first new play reading to a staged workshop, a revival of a New Play Workshop, and a commissioned world premiere, the audience will be a part of the process as CTC deepens its long-standing commitment to new work. CTC will present readings of three new play workshops: C.A. Johnson’s Tell Me You’re Dying (the...
Juneteenth celebrations are happening all over the U. S. Our staff and patrons located in Chautauqua County are encouraged to attend local celebrations. Jamestown Juneteenth Events • June 14–16, 2024 Dunkirk 2024 Juneteenth Celebrations Dunkirk’s 28th Annual Juneteenth Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, June 15 from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 16 from noon to 6 p.m. at Memorial Park, Lake Shore Drive West, Dunkirk, NY, 14048. It will feature music, food, African dancing, poetry slam, cornhole tournament, kids’ tent and Gospel. Juneteenth Resources National Juneteenth Resources We are grateful to the National Museum of African American History and...
“How many of you know the story of Hansel and Gretel?” asks Joel Clemons as Older Hansel at the start of each “Hansel and Gretel vs. the Witch” performance. Familiar with this beloved folktale, a sea of student hands from grades PreK-6 shoot up in excitement. Opera in the Schools, a collaboration between Chautauqua Arts Education and Chautauqua Opera Company, brings opera into elementary classrooms around Chautauqua County. This year, 11 schools participated, reaching approximately 3,500 students. The program dazzled young audiences with a lively 45-minute adaptation of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, masterfully reimagined by Joshua Borths. The Chautauqua...
You may have seen signs around Chautauqua Lake that say “KEEP THE LAKE A LAKE! — Object to WETLAND regulation for Chautauqua Lake.” These signs are about the upcoming wetland regulation changes in New York State, effective January 2025 and 2028. While regulations affecting property use can be concerning, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has indicated that these new changes will likely have minimal impact on property owners around Chautauqua Lake, including Chautauqua Institution. In October 2022, Chautauqua Institution’s Vice President of Campus Planning and Operations John Shedd and Director of NYSDEC Region 9 Julie Barrett...
Celebrated Author Will Give Public Reading at Chautauqua Institution on Aug. 19 Chautauqua Institution today proudly announces The Reformatory: A Novel (Saga Press) by Tananarive Due as the 2024 winner of The Chautauqua Prize. Awarded annually since 2012, the Prize celebrates a book of fiction or literary/narrative nonfiction that provides a richly rewarding reading experience and honors the author for a significant contribution to the literary arts. As author of this year’s winning book, Due receives $7,500, and will be presented with the Prize during a celebratory event and public reading at 5 p.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 19, in Chautauqua’s...
The New York company has revealed creative teams for their upcoming summer season. New York’s Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC) has announced the lineup and creative teams for its upcoming season, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Chautauqau Institution. Directed by Arya Shahi, Noah Haidle’s Birthday Candles will open the season, with previews beginning July 5 before a July 9 opening night. The production will run through July 21. The creative team will include scenic designer Brittany Vasta, costume designer Afsaneh Aayani, lighting designer Anshuman Bhatia, sound designer Ben Truppin-Brown, with original compositions by Jane Lui.
In late March, when Chautauqua still feels locked in the cold embrace of winter, a sign of springtime renewal appears in the sky above us. Having traveled thousands of miles from their wintering grounds in Central or South America, mating pairs of Osprey have returned to Chautauqua Lake. Their appearance is even more remarkable considering that Osprey were nearly wiped out by the devastating effects of DDT. It was only in 2021 that a pair successfully nested and raised a chick near the shores of Chautauqua Lake. As of spring 2024, multiple nesting pairs are now in the region. Osprey...
It all started with trash in the woods. It was the summer of 1970 when I instigated a litter cleanup at camp, after seeing our beloved forest despoiled by careless hikers. It was a powerful moment for me, feeling that even as a child I could make the world a little better. It set me on a lifelong path of environmental advocacy. My budding environmentalism did not come out of the blue. Earlier in 1970, before heading off to summer camp, something remarkable happened that made us all grapple with our impact on the Earth. On April 22, 1970, 20...
Climate change impacts are unfolding across the globe, affecting every community, ecosystem and institution in countless ways. At Chautauqua, we understand the importance of engaging with these challenges head-on. Our commitment to environmental sustainability lies in our dedicated efforts to preserve Chautauqua Lake and a growing desire to facilitate discussions that spark a collective effort toward positive change, on Earth Day and every day. In Weeks Four and Eight of our 2024 season, we recognize the urgent need to explore creative solutions to combat climate change, and -invite visitors to join us on the path to a more sustainable future...