Thank you for your interest in teaching a class at Chautauqua Institution. 

Proposal submissions are closed for the 2026 Summer Assembly Season. Proposals are accepted from August 1 until November 30. You will receive notice of your proposal status by January 15. 

If you have questions about the proposal portal or need support with this process, please email communityeducation@chq.org.

ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Advance registration is required. Students are encouraged to register for a course as early as possible as classes may reach maximum capacity or be cancelled due to low enrollment.

STUDENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Please provide the name of each student registering for classes, a current email address, and phone number during registration. Should a class be canceled or changed, students will be contacted by email first. In cases of short notice changes due to emergencies, students will also receive a phone call.   

FEEDBACK 

Chautauqua has a historic commitment to lifelong learning, and we encourage you to provide us with feedback on learning experiences you would be interested in while visiting Chautauqua. Please assist us in creating an exciting curriculum by emailing your ideas and any other feedback regarding classes to communityeducation@chq.org. You are also encouraged to complete the survey emailed following the conclusion of each course.  

WAIVERS  

Some classes may require students (or their legal guardians for minors) to complete a waiver prior to attending class. Students will be contacted directly ahead of the class to complete the waiver if possible. Students will be asked at the classroom to complete the waiver if there is not a record of one on file before the class.  

MATERIALS LIST 

Instructors may provide a list of recommended materials for students to bring to class. The materials lists can be found on the course listing at tickets.chq.org. If students have questions about the recommended course materials, email communityeducation@chq.org.  

MATERIALS FEE  

Courses with a listed materials fee require that the fee be paid directly to the instructor during the first day of the class.  

INSTRUCTOR MEET AND GREET  

On Sundays from 12–2 p.m. visit the Instructor Meet and Greet outside of Hultquist Center to meet instructors who will be teaching that week. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about upcoming classes, see sample items like artwork and books, and to meet other students interested in Special Studies classes.   

WALK-UP REGISTRATIONS  

You may register online using your mobile device at tickets.chq.org prior to entering the classroom. In-person registration may be available at Turner Community Center, Hultquist Center during Special Studies office hours, and at Masters Series classes.  Course monitors are located at each class to confirm paid registrations.  

GROUNDS ACCESS FOR CLASSES  

Your course registration grants you access to the Chautauqua’s grounds one hour before and one hour after the class. The registration does not include access to any other Chautauqua programs. If you are interested in purchasing a Traditional Gate Pass to attend other programming, you can do so on tickets.chq.org or by contacting the Ticket Office at 716-357-6250.  

PARKING  

For those from the surrounding community who have classes at Turner Community Center, complimentary parking spaces have been designated in front of the building. These spaces are reserved for those attending programs at Turner only and are limited to a three-hour maximum use. This parking area will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. daily. If your class is not scheduled in the Turner Community Center, you can purchase a parking pass for the duration of your class through the Main Gate Welcome Center Ticket Office or by visiting tickets.chq.org.  Parking is located across Rt. 394 from the Main Gate Welcome Center in the Main Parking Lot.  Free buses and trams are available in the parking lot and once in the grounds at designated locations.    

The following classrooms are accessible by elevator, ramp or are at ground level:  

• Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall (all classrooms)   
• Arts Quad (except annexes)  
• Beeson Youth Center  
• Carnahan-Jackson Dance Studios   
• Children’s School  
• Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall   
• Girls’ Club (requires crossing natural terrain)  
• Fletcher Hall   
• Hall of Christ sanctuary  
• Heinz Center  
• Hultquist Center, Room 101   
• Hurlbut Sanctuary and Marion Lawrance Room   
• Ida A. Vanderbeck Chapel   
• McKnight Hall   
• Norton Memorial Hall  
• Pier Building Classroom (requires crossing gravel)  
• Smith Memorial Library Classroom   
• Smith Wilkes Hall  
• Sports Club   
• Turner Community Center (all classrooms)   
• John R. Turney Sailing Center   

Additional information regarding accessibility at Chautauqua Institution can be found at chq.org/accessibility.