In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and leader, Henderson is known for cultivating congregational vitality and meaningful community engagement. His ministry focuses on the centrality of worship, pastoral care, and vibrant mission...
Jason Riley is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the “Upward Mobility” opinion columnist for The Wall Street Journal, where he has written about politics, economics, education, immigration and social inequality for more than 25 years. He’s also a frequent public speaker and provides commentary for television and radio news outlets, and he...
"Homecoming: School of Art Alumni" exhibition runs July 8-August 16. We welcome our School of Art residency alumni back to Chautauqua to share their talents and recent works. Co-curated by Judy Barie and Erika Diamond, this exhibition celebrates eight artists working in disparate styles and materials. They investigate domestic objects, memory, familial ties, and suburban...
WNYLC and CWC protecting Chautauqua County Lands: The Bear Lake Story
Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on child welfare and foster care issues. Specifically, her work analyzes the role of faith-based and community organizations in changing the foster care and adoption services landscape. She also studies how race, class and family structure affect foster care placement...
"Homecoming: School of Art Alumni" opening reception. Exhibition runs July 8-August 16. We welcome our School of Art residency alumni back to Chautauqua to share their talents and recent works. Co-curated by Judy Barie and Erika Diamond, this exhibition celebrates eight artists working in disparate styles and materials. They investigate domestic objects, memory, familial ties,...
The Chautauqua School of Art proudly welcomes Kyle Hackett, a distinguished member of our 2026 visiting faculty. Kyle Hackett will participate in the School’s Summer Lecture Series, sharing insights and practices with our artistic community. Kyle Hackett's paintings explore race, class, and social standing through approaches to self-representation and the constructed image. Hackett (b. Still...
Programmed by Unity of Chautauqua
Curated by Sasha Janes, Bonnefoux McBride Artistic Director of Chautauqua School of Dance, the annual All-Star Dance Gala serves as a celebration of the exceptional talent consistently produced by the Chautauqua School of Dance. Artists from top-tier national companies join forces for an exciting mixed repertoire evening of contemporary and classical dance. In addition to...
In 2008, The Rev. Robert W. Henderson was installed as the sixth senior minister and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C. A respected pastor, preacher, and leader, Henderson is known for cultivating congregational vitality and meaningful community engagement. His ministry focuses on the centrality of worship, pastoral care, and vibrant mission...
Paula Kerger is president and chief executive officer of PBS, the nation’s largest non-commercial media organization representing more than 330 member stations throughout the country. She also serves as president of the PBS Foundation, which provides a significant source of revenue for projects that benefit the entire public television system. Kerger joins Chautauqua’s series on...
Theater Chats (formerly known as Brown Bags) On selected Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., bring lunch to Smith Wilkes Hall and join special guests, including actors, designers, playwrights and more, for a look at our upcoming productions and discussions on the craft of theater-making. Free and open to the public.
The Rev. Nicole Martin is the president and chief executive officer of Christianity Today. She has been with the magazine since 2023, previously holding the positions of chief operating officer and chief impact officer. Martin currently serves on the executive council of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Board of Trustees at Fuller Theological Seminary,...
Praised for her artistry and expressive depth, HieYon Choi is one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation. “One of this sonata’s greatest-ever recorded interpretations… a model of intelligent bravura” (Gramophone). She gained international recognition with prizes at the Kapell, Epinal, Busoni, and Viotti International Competitions and has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra...
The Chautauqua School of Art proudly welcomes Susan Klein, a distinguished member of our 2026 visiting faculty. Susan Klein will participate in the School’s Summer Lecture Series, sharing insights and practices with our artistic community.
Rossen Milanov, conductor Jaren Atherholt, oboe Join the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra for a celebration of musical exploration. John Corigliano’s Midsummer Fanfare opens the program with brilliance and energy. The orchestra then turns to Martinů’s Oboe Concerto, where soloist Jaren Atherholt brings wit, warmth, and virtuosity to the Amphitheater stage. The evening concludes with Dvořák’s iconic...
This event is a part of Chautauqua's partnership with Arizona State University and is hosted by comedian Shane Mauss and Athena Aktipis (featuring comedy, science & music.) Surviving AI is a comedy show that blends humor with thoughtful exploration of how humans relate to artificial intelligence and how we might build a more cooperative technological...
World-renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and filmmaker Scott Hamilton Kennedy have twice joined forces to confront the twin crises of misinformation and science denial. Their documentaries — “Food Evolution,” which resets the GMO debate, and “Shot in the Arm,” begun in 2019 as measles resurged and transformed by COVID-19 — show how narrative can rescue...
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle — Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary by Stefan Fatsis Words are the currency of culture—and never more than today. Journalist and bestselling author Stefan Fatsis embedded as a lexicographer-in-training at America’s most famous dictionary publisher, Merriam-Webster, to learn how words get into the dictionary, where...
ANNE OF GREEN GABLES Chautauqua Opera Company will host the first workshops of a new adaptation of Anne of Green Gables by composer Danika Lorèn and librettist Royce Vavrek (Lincoln in the Bardo). In this bold new reimagining, a fictional reality competition sets out from coast to coast to find the Canadian who most embodies the...
Experience new plays the moment they come to life. The FutureNow new play labs showcase original work by CTC’s inaugural class of Playwriting Fellows in collaboration with our Directing Fellows—a program developed through CTC’s newly expanded partnership with The Drama League—and brought to life in public, staged, and designed workshop readings. Performed by CTC’s Acting...
Few artists embody the heart and soul of their city like Trombone Shorty. Perhaps the most recognizable ambassador for New Orleans music working today, Shorty has spent his entire life not only carrying the torch for Crescent City culture, but also propelling it forward into the 21st century with his ecstatic live performances and intoxicating...
Experience new plays the moment they come to life. The FutureNow new play labs showcase original work by CTC’s inaugural class of Playwriting Fellows in collaboration with our Directing Fellows—a program developed through CTC’s newly expanded partnership with The Drama League—and brought to life in public, staged, and designed workshop readings. Performed by CTC’s Acting...
Fusing together elements of cirque acrobatics, classical dance and contemporary theater, Troupe Vertigo brings audiences on a spellbinding journey through the world of artistic movement. Consisting of world-class aerial artists, contortionists, and ballet dancers, the Los Angeles based company was founded in 2009 by Artistic Director Aloysia Gavre, formerly of the internationally renowned Cirque du...
Dr. Michael Chan joined the Concordia College community in June 2022 as the executive director for faith and learning. Prior to that, he was associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He joined Luther Seminary after completing his Ph.D. at Emory University and a year of research and teaching at...
Experience new plays the moment they come to life. The FutureNow new play labs showcase original work by CTC’s inaugural class of Playwriting Fellows in collaboration with our Directing Fellows—a program developed through CTC’s newly expanded partnership with The Drama League—and brought to life in public, staged, and designed workshop readings. Performed by CTC’s Acting...
Chautauqua Writers' Center Faculty Reading — Featuring Sony Ton-Aime (Poetry) and Lauren Francis-Sharma (Prose) Sony Ton-Aime is a Haitian poet, essayist, translator, and Executive Director of Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures. He is the author of the poetry collection, Konbit (2026, CMU Press), the chapbook, LaWomann (2019), the Haitian Creole translation of Olympic Hero: The Lennox...
Experience new plays the moment they come to life. The FutureNow new play labs showcase original work by CTC’s inaugural class of Playwriting Fellows in collaboration with our Directing Fellows—a program developed through CTC’s newly expanded partnership with The Drama League—and brought to life in public, staged, and designed workshop readings. Performed by CTC’s Acting...
Dr. Michael Chan joined the Concordia College community in June 2022 as the executive director for faith and learning. Prior to that, he was associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He joined Luther Seminary after completing his Ph.D. at Emory University and a year of research and teaching at...
Marcela Escobari and Charles Lane are two of the nation’s leading experts in immigration, migration and asylum policy. The pair will present in tandem, building on the Chautauqua Lecture Series theme of “The 2026 Election: What’s at Stake?,” with an examination of our national dialogue on immigration as the election approaches — and, ultimately, the...
Randall Balmer, an Episcopal priest, is the John Phillips Professor in Religion at Dartmouth College. A prize-winning historian and Emmy Award nominee, he has published eighteen books, including Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right, Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter and The New York Times bestseller, America’s Best Idea: The Separation...
Dynamic wind quintet WindSync returns to Chautauqua for an unforgettable afternoon of energetic and engaging chamber music. Celebrated for their virtuosity, warmth, and creative programming, WindSync performs everything from classical masterpieces to newly commissioned works. Their interactive style and seamless ensemble playing create a vibrant connection with audiences of all ages. Experience why WindSync is...
Comprised of top-tier students from conservatories and universities in the U.S. and abroad, Music School Festival Orchestra members participate in a variety of musical activities during their summers at Chautauqua including chamber music and private lessons along with their meticulous orchestral training. Alumni from the MSFO can be heard in many of the world’s top...
Dr. Michael Chan joined the Concordia College community in June 2022 as the executive director for faith and learning. Prior to that, he was associate professor of Old Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He joined Luther Seminary after completing his Ph.D. at Emory University and a year of research and teaching at...
Chautauqua Science Group Weekly Lecture
The Chautauqua Lecture Series continues its theme dedicated to “The 2026 Election: What’s at Stake?” with scholars James Capretta and Matthew Fiedler in conversation, sharing their expertise on the state of health care and health policy in the United States. The program is the second in a five-part weeklong series presented at Chautauqua in partnership...