Latest Posts

June 18, 2024 |

“The Dream Still Lives” – A Message from Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton For the Commemoration of Juneteenth Day 

Dear Friends of Chautauqua,  We remember with sadness and hope on this day the significance of “Juneteenth”, when on June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to announce to the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state that they were freed by executive decree. Although President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was intended to free all enslaved persons as of January 1, 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. Thus, it would take two and half years for freedom to finally come to the westernmost Confederate state of Texas.  And yet…freedom did...

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June 18, 2024 |

Plena Libre and Sonia De Los Santos Bring Spanish Language Arts Programming to Chautauqua 

Chautauqua Institution today announced headliners Plena Libre on July 17 and Sonia De Los Santos on July 28, bringing bi-lingual programming to Chautauqua Institution’s Amphitheater during its sesquicentennial celebration. Plena Libre’s performance and master class are programmed on Education Wednesday and Sonia De Los Santos’ performance has been programmed on a free Sunday as part of Chautauqua’s Family Entertainment series.   “I am thrilled to invite these wonderful performers to Chautauqua this summer,” shared Vice President of Visual and Performing Arts Laura Savia. “These concerts will be a joyous opportunity to hear great music and to celebrate the rich Latin American...

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June 17, 2024 | ,

Melody Barnes, David French Named Inaugural Chautauqua Perry Fellows in Democracy 

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...

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June 13, 2024 | ,

Chautauqua Theater Company Announces 2024 New Play Workshops

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...

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June 10, 2024 |

Juneteenth

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...

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June 7, 2024 |

Announcing the 2024 Abrahamic Program for Young Adults

After a four-year hiatus, the Department of Religion is excited to announce this summer’s Abrahamic Program for Young Adults (APYA) Coordinators. During the 2024 Summer Assembly, Allison Blackwell, Madison Cissell, Mohammed Jibriel and Zackary Steinberg will participate in departmental programs such as the Interfaith Lecture Series, CHQ Dialogues, Mystic Heart Meditation, and the Interfaith Sacred Song Service. Working together, APYA Coordinators will also design and implement a new program based on their mutual interests and vocational goals. Please join us in welcoming this summer’s APYA Coordinators!  2024 Coordinators  Allison Blackwell grew up on a farm north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She...

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June 5, 2024 |

Chautauqua Arts Education Opera in the Schools

“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...

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May 30, 2024 | ,

New Wetland Regulations Likely to Have Little Impact on Chautauqua Institution 

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...

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May 30, 2024 | ,

Tananarive Due’s The Reformatory: A Novel Wins 2024 Chautauqua Prize

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...

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May 29, 2024 |

Accessibility Initiatives at Chautauqua Theater Company 

Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC), the resident theater company of Chautauqua Institution, today announced the introduction of Sensory-Friendly Performances and the return of pilot programs Pick Your Price (PYP) and Live Audio Descriptions (LAD) for the 2024 season. CTC is committed to fostering inclusivity and promoting the power of storytelling to all audiences.   “As we shared in our open letter regarding CTC’s commitments to racial and social justice through the lens of IDEA, CTC is actively building the future of the American theater. In doing so, we aim to create space for culturally specific storytelling that leads to dialogue, understanding and...

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