Weekly Themes

Chautauqua Institution is excited to present a snapshot of our themes for the 2026 season.

Week One 2026

June 27–July 4 • Icons and Instigators: Women Who Change the World 

July 4–11 • Breaking the News: Charting a New Media Landscape 

July 11–18 • The 2026 Election: What’s at Stake?

July 18–25 • Wasted: Our Era of Disposability 

July 25–August 1 • Art and Artists Against the Odds 

August 1–8 • America at 250: In Partnership with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

August 8–15 • Global Power and Our Evolving International Order

August 15–22 • The Future of Food: Climate, Technology and the Next Agricultural Revolution Gulf States’ Emerging Influence

August 22–30 • The Importance of Gathering: A Collaboration with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 