Though many Chautauquans spend Thanksgiving away from our historic grounds, others return to enjoy the last blaze of fall colors before winter sets in. As you gather in gratitude with family and friends, either here at Chautauqua or in the communities you call home, please join us in reflecting on the meaningful impact philanthropy continues to have on the Institution. We invite you to read just a few examples of the many ways your gifts are making an impact on Chautauquans of every age today, and how future generations will benefit from your generous forethought. To every member of our...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Kwame Alexander to the role of Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts. Alexander will also serve as the Inaugural Writer-in-Residence at Chautauqua. A poet, educator, publisher, and Emmy-nominated producer, Alexander is the author of 40 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir; The Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor-winning picture book The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson; Becoming Muhammad Ali, co-authored with James Patterson; and the Newbery Medal-winning middle grade novel, The Crossover, now a television series on Disney+. His books have long...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Stephine Hunt to the permanent, full-time role of Manager of Literary Arts. Since 2017, Hunt has served Chautauqua Institution and supported Chautauqua Literary Arts programming as the manager of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC) Octagon in a seasonal and part-time capacity. She is a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in American Studies and a teaching assistant in the Department of Indigenous Studies at the University at Buffalo, as well as an adjunct instructor of English and Ethnic and Gender Studies at SUNY Fredonia. In the role of manager, Hunt will provide coordination and...
Chautauqua Institution’s Board of Trustees elected Stephen F. Messinger, Jill Penrose, and Stephen J. Zenczak to four-year terms at the final meeting of the body’s 2022–23 cycle on Aug. 26. Additionally, members of the Chautauqua Corporation elected Bob W. Obee as the newest of the four trustees selected by Chautauqua property owners at the Corporation’s annual meeting on Aug. 12. The new trustee class officially began its term on Oct. 1. Messinger, of Arlington, Virginia, is the former president of ECG Management Consultants. He grew up in nearby Lakewood, New York, and in 1976 his parents purchased a cottage on...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the upcoming unveiling of an augmented reality art installation to coincide with its inaugural CHQ Mud Day Saturday, October 7. The installation, created by artists Leslie Calimeri and John Stow, follows a previous interactive installment at the CHQ Trail focused on play and exploration in 2022. Members of the media are invited to attend the public unveiling at 9:45 a.m. on October 7 at the CHQ Trailhead located behind the Chautauqua Golf Club Learning Center, 4731 West Lake Road, Chautauqua, NY. The current phase of Calimeri and Stow’s collaboration builds on their previous work and adds...
Following a national search, Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Angela Schuettler of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Schuettler begins her service October 23. As CFO, Schuettler will play a critical role as a member of the President’s Executive Team, advising Chautauqua leadership and leading initiatives that will ensure Chautauqua Institution’s long-term financial sustainability at a moment of exciting organizational transformation. Reporting directly to the president, her duties include the preparation and monitoring of the annual operating budget and capital budget, strategic financial planning; and overseeing processes related to resource allocation and controls. Chautauqua President...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of the acclaimed artist Erika b Hess* as artistic director of Chautauqua Visual Arts (CVA). In this role, Hess will help shape the model for the next chapter of CVA’s School of Art and oversee this dynamic hub for learning and expression comprised of the Chautauqua School of Art residency program, Strohl and Fowler-Kellogg Art Centers, The Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden, The Gallery Store, the CVA Lecture Series, and the growing education and community engagement programs. Hess, a celebrated painter, curator, writer, and host of the famous art podcast “I Like Your Work,” is...
CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. August 29, 2023 – Following a national search, Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Jordan Steves as Emily and Richard Smucker Chair of Education. Steves has been serving as Interim Smucker Chair since March. Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer Deborah Sunya Moore said Steves’s legacy of service and leadership position Chautauqua to build on the strengths of these core education programs. “This position is about preserving the depth of history, exploring new potential of the Chautauqua Lecture Series and other education programs while also creating stability, fostering trust and working collaboratively with cherished and future partners...
National Grid EV Make-Ready program providing funding for 90% of project costs Chautauqua Institution, through National Grid’s EV Make-Ready Program, installed three Electric Vehicle charging stations in two parking lots, providing six new plugs for EV drivers who may need a charge. The north parking lot includes two stations with four plugs, including two with standard plugs and two with Tesla chargers. The south parking lot includes two ChargePoint plugs. The installation was completed in advance of the second annual Retool ’23 Conference. To be held on July 26 at the Institution, the conference focuses on emerging economic development opportunities...
Chautauqua Institution and its opera company and conservatory, like performing arts organizations industry-wide, are navigating challenges and uncertainties as the field emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a period of deep reflection about the future of opera in America, including at Chautauqua which hosts North America’s oldest continuously operating summer opera company and 4th oldest opera company in the nation. The current model for opera at Chautauqua requires subsidy from Institution operations on an annual basis that has been controlled historically to the extent possible through repeated production modifications. As expenses continue to grow due to rising labor, housing,...
