Week One · June 26–July 3, 2027 

The American Constitution  

For more than two centuries, the Constitution of the United States has served as both a blueprint for governance and a living document interpreted, contested and renewed by each generation and era of American life. The principles it established continue to shape debates — in the U.S. and globally — about rights, responsibilities and the meaning of democratic citizenship. 

• In this week, Chautauqua seeks to interrogate the enduring power of the Constitution as a framework that guides civic life and shapes our evolving national story. 
• Legal scholars, historians, jurists and public officials will contribute to our weeklong conversation, exploring how America’s constitutional principles have formed and/or evolved, how they adapt (or not) to new challenges, and how an engaged citizenry sustains the promise of self‑government. 

Featured Voice:  

• Kate Shaw, professor of law, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; co-host, “Strict Scrutiny” podcast 

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Week Two · July 3–10, 2027 

Applied Ethics in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we work, learn, govern and relate to one another. As algorithms increasingly influence decisions once made solely by human minds, questions of equity, accountability and moral responsibility have become central to the conversation about AI’s role in public life. 

• This week invites Chautauquans to grapple with the ethical challenges and opportunities of AI — exploring how we can harness and embrace technological innovation while safeguarding human dignity, democratic values and social trust. 
• Through conversations with ethicists, technologists, policymakers and cultural thought leaders, we will consider how ethical frameworks are built, how bias is confronted, and how societies might navigate the profound human choices that accompany the emergence of intelligent machines. 

Featured Voices:  

• Lisa D. Cook, governor, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
• Chris Hayes, host, “The AI End Game” and “Why Is This Happening?” podcasts; host, MS NOW’s “All In” 
• The Rev. Kate Braestrup, Chaplain, Maine Warden Service

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Week Three · July 10–17, 2027 

Trust 

Trust is the invisible infrastructure of human life — the foundation of relationships, institutions and democratic society. Yet in an era marked by polarization, misinformation and constant and often rapid change, trust has become both fragile and fiercely contested. 

• This week at Chautauqua explores how trust is built, broken and restored, and why its presence or absence shapes everything from civic participation to personal wellbeing.  
• Through conversations with social scientists, community leaders, journalists and cultural thinkers, we will investigate the forces that erode trust, the practices that strengthen it, and the possibilities for renewing our confidence in one another, in the institutions we depend on, and in the systems we share. 

Featured Voices: 

•  David French, opinion columnist, The New York Times
• The Rev. Heber Brown, III, Pastor, Social Entrepreneur

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Week Four · July 17–24 , 2027 

United We Swing

A Week in Partnership with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

This week explores how the arts can unite us during moments of change — within our country, within Chautauqua, and within JLCO. As both organizations navigate leadership transition, we examine how cultural institutions can deepen their core missions while fostering innovation and welcoming the next generation of changemakers.  

• Wynton Marsalis anchors the week, opening with a morning lecture, closing with a rousing performance by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and appearing mid-week as we help premiere his newest orchestral composition, Liberty Symphony, performed by the JLCO in collaboration with Chautauqua’s Music School Festival Orchestra.  
• Exceptional young talent will also take center stage, with a remarkably expanded youth presence through the JLCO’s Jazz Academy in residence alongside JLCO musicians and faculty. Through classes, performances and informal moments across the grounds, these rising artists will bring vitality, ambition and the future of jazz into vivid focus. 

Featured Voices: 

• Wynton Marsalis, managing and artistic director, Jazz at Lincoln Center  
• The Rev. Tracey Breashears Schultz, Bishop, TX-La Gulf Coast Synod

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Week Five · July 24–31, 2027 

Exploration and Confluence

A Week in Partnership with National Geographic

For more than 135 years, the National Geographic Society has brought our world into sharper focus through groundbreaking exploration, scientific discovery and vibrant storytelling that connects people across cultures and continents. Its Explorers illuminate the complexity and wonder of our shared planet.  

• In a week that reprises a partnership spanning nearly two decades, Chautauqua welcomes National Geographic Explorers both familiar and new, to celebrate the spirit of curiosity and the power of bearing witness — from charting little-known ecosystems to documenting human resilience in a constantly changing world. 
• Historically, academic work has often been siloed, but today many recognize that meaningful, multidisciplinary work can be far more impactful. The explorers, scientists and storytellers joining us this week will share the work that National Geographic inspires and funds, demonstrating collaboration across disciplines and cultures to meet the urgency of the issues facing our planet. 

Featured Voices: 

• Brian Skerry, National Geographic Explorer; world renowned underwater and marine wildlife photographer 
• The Rev. Scott Black Johnston, Pastor, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian NYC

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Week Six · July 31–Aug. 7, 2027 

Amna Nawaz and Friends: American Storytellers

The story of our nation is being written chapter by chapter and generation by generation. And it’s not just the written word capturing that tale. Through our films, our food, our songs and more, Americans are telling that story in real time and answering big questions along the way. How does our past inform our future? How can our challenges animate our action? And how can we move forward with hope, as we craft the next lines of our shared history?   

• Join “PBS News Hour” co-anchor and co-managing editor Amna Nawaz for a special Chautauqua week of inspiring and intimate conversations with storytellers of all kinds, as they share their own journeys to today, and their sense of mission into tomorrow.  
• Over these five days, the award-winning and highly respected journalist will introduce us to some of the most memorable people she’s met along the way — weaving together their individual stories into a collective narrative of America at her best. 

Featured Voices: 

• Amna Nawaz, co-anchor, “PBS News Hour” 
• The Rev. Teresa L. Fry Brown, Peter Marshall Professor of Preaching, Columbia Theological Seminary 

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Week Seven · Aug. 7–14, 2027 

Celebrating Excellence

A Week in Partnership with The Pulitzer Prizes

For more than a century, The Pulitzer Prizes have recognized the journalists, authors, poets, dramatists, composers and photographers whose work deepens our understanding of the world and each other, and elevates the public conversation. 

• In this special week in partnership with the Prizes and its public programs initiative, Pulitzer on the Road, Chautauqua celebrates the power of exceptional storytelling — from the investigations and reporting that safeguard democracy to the works of imagination that expand our sense of what it means to be human. 
• Through conversations with Pulitzer winners across disciplines, we will explore how excellence is cultivated, how truth is pursued, and how creative courage shapes civic and cultural life. 

Featured Voices: 

• Jonathan Eig, author, Pulitzer Prize-winning King: A Life (2025 CLSC selection) 
• Rabbi Ed Feinstein , Rabbi, Valley Beth Shalom 

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Week Eight · Aug. 14–21, 2027 

Chasing Life: A Week Curated with Dr. Sanjay Gupta

As a celebrated neurosurgeon, journalist and global health communicator, Dr. Sanjay Gupta has spent his career translating cutting‑edge medical science into practical wisdom for living well. His life’s work illuminates and celebrates the connections between body, mind, environment and community. 

• This week, inspired by Dr. Gupta’s popular podcast by the same name, invites Chautauquans to explore what it means to pursue a healthier, more resilient life — from the habits that support longevity to the systems that shape public health. 
• With Dr. Gupta joining us for part of the week, he and other leading voices in medicine, neuroscience, psychology and wellness will reveal the secrets of the happiest and healthiest people on the planet, and explore how we can all participate in building a healthier future for ourselves and our communities. 

Featured Voice: 

• Sanjay Gupta, host, “Chasing Life” podcast; chief medical correspondent, CNN

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Week Nine · Aug. 21–29, 2027 

Turning Roots Into Rock

A Week In Partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Rock and roll didn’t start plugged in — it started unamplified and deeply rooted. Before it could shake arenas, rock was shaped in churches, juke joints, front porches and dance halls. It emerged not as a sudden spark, but as a powerful convergence of traditions, innovations and voices. 

• This week at Chautauqua, in partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, traces the electrifying journey from blues, gospel, country and folk to the sound that changed everything. We’ll explore how rhythm, voice, story and spirit fused into something louder, bolder and unmistakably new — and something that continues to evolve today. 
• Musicians, historians, cultural critics and industry innovators will keep the rhythm of the week’s conversation, introducing (or reintroducing) us to the people, places and sounds that shaped rock’s lineage, the social forces that propelled its rise, and the enduring impact of a genre that continues to influence how generations imagine freedom, rebellion and belonging. 

Featuring the 2027 Chautauqua Food Festival