The Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees today announced that Kyle Keogh has been appointed Interim Chief Executive of Chautauqua Institution. The appointment is effective June 1, 2025, following Michael E. Hill’s previously announced plans to depart from Chautauqua on May 31 to become President of Randolph-Macon College. Keogh is a proven executive with significant experience in strategy, finance, and technology and an established track record of successfully overseeing transformations, driving growth, and enhancing the sustainability of companies’ operations. Since 2023, Keogh has served as Chief Business Officer at Cover Genius, a venture-backed tech company, where he significantly grew revenue,...
Dear Property Owners: Please be aware of a procedural change we are implementing for brush pick up starting this 2025 season. We request your cooperation with our existing guidelines by limiting the size of the brush pickup, putting brush in leaf bags or containers for pick up, and working with your landscapers to take away large brush and branches. Summary of Issue Chautauqua Institution has written guidelines on collecting yard waste. Refer to the “Yard Trimmings and Brush Waste” section on the Waste Management web page at https://www.chq.org/sustainability/waste-management/). Historically, it was possible for one Buildings and Grounds staff member to...
Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC), has announced the commission of a new play by award-winning playwright and screenwriter Zora Howard. This commission is part of CTC’s ongoing commitment to support bold, resonant storytelling and to elevate some of today’s most compelling voices in American theater. Zora Howard, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her acclaimed play STEW, is known for her lyrical writing and deeply human characters. Her work, including Hang Time and the recently premiered Bust, often explores the interior lives of Black women, the complexities of familial bonds, and the enduring impact of memory and place. Through this commission, CTC...
As we approach the Summer Assembly, we will provide this running list of things that will be new, changed, or updated for the 2025 season. This list includes changes in services, program schedules, procedures and facilities. A Smarter Way to Park: Introducing CI Access at Chautauqua This season, Chautauqua Institution is launching a new parking system designed to provide a more efficient and user-friendly experience. CI Access is powered by SKIDATA, a leading provider of digital parking technology. With this upgrade, all parking areas are now fully secured and operational 24 hours a day, requiring all users to scan...
Faculty Spotlight Series As we look ahead to another season of inspiration and music, we’re excited to share a new chapter in our Saturday afternoon chamber music series. Beginning this season, what was formerly the Resident Artist Series will become the Faculty Spotlight Series — a celebration of the incredible talent within the Chautauqua School of Music. Curated by Artistic Director Timothy Muffitt, the series will feature faculty performances designed to inspire students and Chautauquans alike. The performances will continue to take place on Saturdays, June 28 to Aug. 2 at 4:15 p.m. in Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall. Supported by...
April 9, 1943 – April 13, 2025 Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux: dancer, choreographer, teacher, visionary — has passed away at the age of 82. For those who were lucky enough to witness his grace on stage or study under his passionate eye, his passing marks the end of an era. However, here at Chautauqua Institution, where he spent nearly four decades as director of the School of Dance, his spirit will always remain. Born in Bourg-en-Bresse, France in 1943, Jean-Pierre’s journey in ballet began early when he joined the Paris Opera Ballet at age 14. His artistic path eventually took him to...
Dear Chautauquans, We learned this week of the passing of the Rev. Joan Brown Campbell, our former Director of the Department of Religion and a force in the world. Joan served Chautauqua faithfully for more than a decade, assembling some of the most important preachers and prophetic voices in the world on our stages, in our pulpits and on our grounds. Joan believed, as we long have, that Chautauqua had a larger role to play in the world, and that bringing thought leaders from around the globe was only a part of the magic sauce of Chautauqua. It was when...
The Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees today announced that Laurie A. Branch, who currently serves as chair of the board’s budget and finance committee, has been elected to succeed Candace L. Maxwell as board chair. This appointment is effective Oct. 1, 2025, when Maxwell will have completed three consecutive two-year terms as chair, which is the maximum allowed under the board’s bylaws. Branch is a fourth-generation Chautauquan and a lifelong summer resident of the Institution grounds. A resident of Longboat Key, Florida, and originally from Olean, New York, Branch is CEO and President of Ironpeak, one of the oldest and largest...
CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (March 11, 2025) — In a joint announcement to the Chautauqua community today, Institution Board of Trustees Chair Candace L. Maxwell and Institution President Michael E. Hill, Ed.D., announced President Hill will leave his role as Chautauqua’s 18th president May 31, 2025. ”My eight-plus years in service to Chautauqua have been among the most rewarding and challenging of my career,” Hill said. “…it has been the honor of a lifetime to work alongside the talented Chautauqua team to advance our mission.” Hill said he is leaving his post as Institution president to accept the position of president at...
Chautauqua Institution 2024 Annual Report Introduction The 150th anniversary of our storied institution, celebrated in 2024, had long been a milestone we eagerly anticipated. It offered the opportunity to honor the Institution’s significant influence and impact, not only in the history of the United States but well beyond its borders. We anchored our anniversary year with the theme The Seasons and Stories of Chautauqua, which came to life through multiple recognitions of Chautauqua’s seasons. These included the publication of “Chautauqwhat? A Short History of a Place and an Idea” by Archivist and Historian Jon Schmitz (now in its second edition), a reenactment of...
