History of Chautauqua Institute

Chautauqua Institute was founded by an Akron Ohio inventor Lewis Miller and Methodist Bishop John Heyl Vincent in 1874 as a summer camp for Sunday school teachers.

Since that first summer in 1874 the institute has operated gradually expanding the length of the season as well as the programs offered around arts, education, religion and recreation.

The Chautauqua Institute offers a wide array of educational activities to nearly 75,000 who live in the area any given day in season as well as another 145,000 people who attend the open events in season. Among the enjoyed events are theatre, symphony, ballet, opera and other popular entertainment.

Though the Chautauqua Institute was founded by Methodists, other Protestant denominations have participated from the beginning and through history.

Today the institute continues to be multi-faith and multi-faceted in both spirit and practice.

The Chautauqua Department of Religion continues in this manner presenting religious leaders of many faiths from around the world as speakers and teachers. Standing today as a national forum for open discussion of issues that encompass national and international issues as well as science and literature the institute is vital for all.

The premise that everyone has a right to be all that he can be and to know all that he can know, the institute has the ability to transform and enlighten.

Chautauqua Institute was one of the first non-profit arts communities in America and has attracted a number of diverse resident artists and lecturers. Among these are George Gershwin, Lucille Ball and Horace Greeley as well as all the presidents from Ulysses S. Grant to Bill Clinton who have given speeches at the institute.

Chautauqua continues its history of being a non-profit educational center and hosts a nine week season from June through late August.

The season is divided into nine weekly themes with classes and events that cover a broad spectrum of subjects.