Celebrated Author Will Give Public Reading at Chautauqua Institution on July 24 Chautauqua Institution proudly announces Flashlight (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) by Susan Choi as the 2026 winner of The Chautauqua Prize. Awarded annually since 2012, the Prize celebrates a book of fiction, literary/narrative nonfiction or a book-length collection of poetry that provides a richly rewarding reading experience and honors the author for a significant contribution to the literary arts. As the author of this year’s winning book, Choi receives $7,500 and will be presented with the Prize during a celebratory event and public reading at 3:30 p.m. EDT Friday, July 24, in Chautauqua’s Hall of Philosophy. Flashlight was chosen as the 2026 Prize winner from a list of seven finalists and 362 total submissions by an independent jury, which for...
Chautauqua Institution is pleased to announce seven exceptional books as the 2026 finalists for The Chautauqua Prize, now in its 15th year: “This finalist list honors the diversity and vibrancy of the literary world, recognizing both acclaimed and debut authors for creating deeply rewarding reading experiences,” said Chautauqua’s Interim Michael I. Rudell Director of Literary Arts Stephine Hunt. The 2026 finalists for The Chautauqua Prize were selected from a longlist of entries read and reviewed by 141 volunteer Chautauquans who are writers, publishers, educators, editors, librarians and avid readers. This year boasted an independent prize jury including award-winning writers Oliver de la Paz, Glory Edim, Jillian Hanesworth and Kao Kalia Yang as guest judges. Awarded annually since 2012, the Prize draws upon...
Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC), the professional theater company of Chautauqua Institution, is proud to announce its full 2026 season featuring fully produced productions, new play readings and the expansion of its FutureNow program to includes two staged new play workshops. Anchored by two mainstage productions — a CTC commissioned world premiere and the remount of a classic solo piece — the season expands its legacy of developing new work and training the next generation of theater artists. This summer, CTC will present six new works at varying stages of development, offering audiences a unique opportunity to engage with new plays...
Emerging Writer to Give Lecture, Reading of Winning Work on Aug.12 In another record-breaking year for submissions, Chautauqua Institution is delighted to announce “Name, Place, Animal, Thing” by Hassaan Mirza as the winner of the 2026 Chautauqua Janus Prize. “Name, Place, Animal, Thing” was selected from 10 finalists as the winner by this year’s guest judge Deborah Miranda, who described the short story as “an elegiac, exquisitely crafted piece of fiction that encompasses both personal and global grief, as well as the way such grief taxes sanity and a sense of identity.” As the 2026 prize recipient, Mirza will receive $5,000, plus travel and lodging...
Chautauqua Institution announced that its 17th annual Buffalo Day will take place on Tuesday, August 25, welcoming residents of the Buffalo region for a full day of engagement, celebration and community centered experiences. The day will feature special programming by IMAGINE Greater Buffalo. Buffalo Day is a longstanding tradition that celebrates the deep and enduring relationship between Buffalo and Chautauqua. Now in its 17th year, the event invites Buffalo‑area residents to experience a wide range of cultural, educational and artistic offerings while enjoying a day designed to encourage exploration, connection and participation across the grounds. In addition to regularly scheduled events, Buffalo Day will feature special programming curated to reflect...
Chautauqua Literary Arts and the Department of Education at Chautauqua Institution are pleased to announce 10 finalists for the 2026 Chautauqua Janus Prize. To be awarded this summer for the ninth time, the Janus Prize has enjoyed a steady increase in interest among emerging writers, and for 2026 saw another record-breaking number of submissions. This year, 281 writers entered work to be considered for the Janus Prize, an annual award that seeks to celebrate an emerging writer’s single work of short fiction or nonfiction for daring formal and aesthetic innovations that upset and reorder readers’ imaginations. The 10 finalists for the 2026 Janus Prize and their works are: Marguerite Alley, “Dogsbody” Andres Cordoba, “Animals in...
YWCA Jamestown and Chautauqua Institution are pleased to announce the fifth annual Chautauqua County Book Read, a countywide initiative inviting all Chautauqua County residents to participate in a shared reading experience. This year’s book selection is Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle’s (CLSC) “LatinoLand: A Portrait of America’s Largest and Least Understood Minority” by Marie Arana. The Chautauqua County Book Read engages county residents, businesses, nonprofits, and organizations in meaningful dialogue. It is designed to help heal our divides and propel participants to become engaged citizens working toward a more inclusive and just society. Participants are invited to take part in online and in‑person book discussion groups hosted across Chautauqua County during the following dates: ...
Institution, CSO Reach New Contract Agreement Chautauqua Institution today announced the 2026 season of its resident Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (CSO), alongside a new three-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the orchestra’s musicians and a shared commitment to raising endowment funds for the orchestra. The agreement, covering 2026 through 2028, maintains musician compensation while supporting the Institution’s focus on long-term financial sustainability and audience development. It was negotiated following the Institution’s fall 2025 announcement of $5.7 million in operating budget expense reductions affecting all departments and activities. Under the new agreement, guaranteed CSO services are reduced from 52 to 46, resulting...
Chautauqua Institution today proudly announced a cohort of distinguished guest judges for the 2026 Chautauqua Prize: Oliver de la Paz, Glory Edim, Jillian Hanesworth, and Kao Kalia Yang. The foursome will serve as an independent jury that determines this year’s Chautauqua Prize-winning book and finalist selections. Awarded annually since 2012, the Prize celebrates a book of fiction, literary/narrative nonfiction, or poetry that provides a richly rewarding reading experience and honors the author for a significant contribution to the literary arts. Books published in 2025 were accepted as submissions for the 2026 Prize from September to December 2025. The 2026 Prize finalists and award-winning book will be selected by the independent jury from a longlist of 373 entries read and reviewed by 141 volunteer Chautauquans who are writers, publishers, educators, editors, librarians, and avid readers. A familiar...
Dear Chautauquans, Next week is Thanksgiving, and I owe you all a big thank you. Not only do you gather every weekday morning each summer as the most engaged and thoughtful audience around, you are uncommonly generous in sharing your ideas, suggestions and connections with us as we move through our yearly planning cycles. Planning and executing a 45-lecture series is truly a community effort, and it is an honor and a privilege to steward that process and shape our storied Chautauqua Lecture Series platform. We of course are right in the thick of that work for 2026, with much...
