Wooden Castles and Winter Flowers: Mark Wenzler Last Sunday was a beautiful day in Washington, D.C. With temperatures in the mid-70s, I put on shorts for the first time in months for my regular Sunday morning run. This was an especially magical jog through a faintly fragrant tunnel of blossoming cherry trees. The many thousands of cherry trees in our nation’s capital date back to a 1912 gift of friendship from the people of Japan. They are one of the things that makes D.C. so beautiful and a major driver of tourism. But should we be enjoying them in the...
Established from its foundation in 1874 as a platform for intellectual and cultural exchange, Chautauqua Institution was pivotal in the advancement of women’s rights. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, Chautauqua’s lecture platform featured notable suffragists ranging from Susan B. Anthony to Carrie Chapman Catt. This March, we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, showcasing Chautauqua’s crucial role in the women’s rights movement. Though Chautauqua had welcomed women speakers in the past, beginning as early as the remarks from Jenny Fowler Willing at the opening services in 1874, debating the issue of women’s suffrage was revolutionary. Chautauqua’s first women’s suffrage...
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...
Featured from Buffalo News As part of this year’s State of the State address, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged to dedicate vital resources to help protect and rehabilitate some of our region’s most precious waterways – including Chautauqua Lake. This is welcome news for those who visit and make Chautauqua County their year-round home, but also for those who understand the importance of New York’s beautiful lakes to the state’s culture, ecosystem, and economy. Each is a vital part of our identity, and we applaud Hochul’s push for science-based conservation efforts to improve these treasures for generations to come. ...
From its founding in 1874, Chautauqua Institution has been a hub of intellectual and cultural activity, welcoming people from across the globe to share their ideas and insights. Over its 150 years, Chautauqua has weathered world wars, depressions, and profound social change, remaining a world-renowned destination for educational exploration, spiritual growth, and community engagement. As Chautauqua celebrates this remarkable milestone, we invite readers to explore our rich history with five fascinating facts you may not know about Chautauqua! 1. Chautauqua Institution was the first of several Chautauquas. As Chautauqua Institution grew in popularity, other “chautauquas” began to spread across the...
Chautauqua Institution today announced a transformational $5.3 million gift from longtime Chautauquans Craig and Cathrine Greene. Their multifaceted commitment, which includes gifts to both Chautauqua Institution and the Chautauqua Foundation, supports a wide range of capital projects and strategic initiatives that are core components of Boundless, A Campaign for Chautauqua. The gift includes support for the planned renovation of Bellinger Hall, an unrestricted contribution to the Chautauqua Fund, support for IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) initiatives, and additional funding to endow dance excellence at Chautauqua through the existing Craig and Cathrine Greene Family Fund and establishment of the Sasha...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the naming of the Bonnefoux McBride Artistic Director of Chautauqua School of Dance in honor of longtime faculty Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. The naming follows significant gifts made by Chautauquans Jane Foster and Arthur S. Willson, and the redesignation of existing endowment gifts made by the Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, endowing the position in perpetuity. Sasha Janes becomes the inaugural Bonnefoux McBride Artistic Director of Chautauqua School of Dance following his appointment as head of the school last year. “With tremendous thanks to Jane, Arthur and the Carnahan-Jackson Foundation for their generous forethought, we are thrilled to...
See what’s streaming on CHQ Assembly this February! CHQ Assembly’s February 2024 Lineup In February, we’re highlighting Chautauqua’s Forum on Democracy. Chautauqua’s three-day forum on democracy featured authors, contemporary thinkers and scholars engaging in panel discussions, presentations and seminars. Topics were as varied as history, technology, voting rights, literature, and more. Join Chautauqua’s lecturers Trevor Potter, Sayu Bhojwani, David Blight, Michael Waldman, and Christy Vines as they analyze and provide clear, diverse and action-oriented solutions to new paths for our democracy’s future. If you aren’t a member, visit assembly.chq.org to sign up today! In the Spotlight Chautauqua’s Forum on Democracy ...
Impacting Students Through Rhythmic Expression Chautauqua Arts Education kicked off the 2023–2024 school year working with students to tap into their creativity and connect with others through rhythm and sound! The transformative “Feelin’ the Beat” School Residency Program shares the joy of musical expression through drumming with 10 area schools and almost 500 students. Developed in 2014 by Chief Program Officer Deborah Sunya Moore and Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra Principal Percussionist Brian Kushmaul, the original vision was to create an arts education program for students attending special education programs in Erie 2 Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Educational Centers....
Bush 3rd Graders’ Imagination Takes Center Stage Through CHQ Young Playwrights Project Applause, cheers, and excitement filled the auditorium of Bush Elementary School as the special guests bowed. “Did you enjoy that play?” asks Emily Olcott, one of four teaching artists visiting the school that day from Chautauqua Institution. “YES!” the children replied in unison following the short performance. “Well, great! Because we’re going to perform another play for you except… This one hasn’t been written yet!” Olcott responded to the students’ amazement. “In just a minute, I’m going to go into the audience and get creative ideas and suggestions...
