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CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION
CHAUTAUQUA, NY · EIN 160758844 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A610 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Very Large (>$50M) · chq.org
revenue
$63.4M
expenses
$47.8M
net assets
$297.8M
employees
1,167
volunteers
300
program ratio
74%
mission · from form 990

CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION IS DEDICATED TO THE EXPLORATION OF THE BEST IN HUMAN VALUES AND THE ENRICHMENT OF LIFE.

profile · synthesized from sources

Chautauqua Institution is a cultural and educational organization based in Chautauqua, New York, dedicated to the exploration of human values and lifelong learning. It operates a summer assembly program featuring theater productions, lectures, music, and arts education. The institution serves over 100,000 attendees annually through its multidisciplinary programming and campus services.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $16.27M
    SUPPORT SERVICES, BOX OFFICE AND PARKING MUNICIPAL SERVICES WHICH INCLUDE FACILITY MAINTENANCE AND FOOD SERVICE FOR STUDENTS. THESE SERVICES ARE NECESSARY FOR ALL PROGRAM FUNCTION. (100,000+ ARE SERVED)
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Chautauqua Theater Company
Professional theater company in residence that produces mainstage plays and trains early-career actors, directors, and designers
New Play Workshops
Development program for emerging playwrights, providing staged readings and workshop productions of new works
Past Productions
Annual theater season featuring professional productions of classic and contemporary plays, including works by Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, and new plays developed through workshops
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
    • Conducts archival and historical research
      Preserves and organizes historical records, artifacts, photographs, and media related to the Chautauqua Institution and the broader Chautauqua Movement to support scholarly and public understanding.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Hosts summer programming with lectures, performances, and recreational activities
      Organizes and hosts over 2,200 public events annually—including lectures, concerts, theater productions, and recreational programs such as lawn bowling—for nearly 100,000 attendees each year. Programming occurs primarily during the summer season at the Chautauqua Institution campus.
  • Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 1 activity
    • Manages Chautauqua Lake stewardship and public safety
      Monitors water quality and manages beach closures due to harmful algal blooms in coordination with public health authorities. Leads the Jefferson Project’s “Smart Lake Project” to implement long-term monitoring and solutions for Chautauqua Lake.
  • Comprehensive K–12 Arts Education 1 activity
    • Operates arts education and training programs
      Enrolls over 8,000 students annually in summer schools offering instruction in art, music, dance, theater, writing, and other disciplines. Also provides arts education outreach to regional schools and operates the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra—founded in 1929—which performs weekly with leading soloists.
  • Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
    • Produces original and collaborative theater productions
      Produces original plays, world premieres, and interdisciplinary theater projects such as "The Real James Bond…Was Dominican," "Execution of Justice," and the InterArts Projects "Go West!" and "Romeo & Juliet Project." Engages in co-productions with external theater companies and supports new play development through workshops and labs.
  • Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
    • Promotes inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility initiatives
      Offers free workshops in collaboration with the African American Heritage House to build inclusive community practices and publishes regular columns in The Chautauquan Daily to foster dialogue on equity and inclusion.
  • Campus Facility Operations and Management 1 activity
    • Provides facility and visitor support services
      Offers box office operations, parking, food service, facility maintenance, and grounds management to support visitors, students, and artists. Operates residential and gathering spaces such as the Greene Family Commons and maintains facilities year-round, including during off-season and emergency conditions.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Builds institutional capacity through capital projects and partnerships
      Raised $9 million for the construction of the Roe Green Theater Center and secured NYSCA grants to expand training programs. Expanded directing fellowships through partnerships with the Telsey Office and the Drama League.
    • Offers year-round engagement and distance learning programs
      Operates off-season initiatives including CHQ Assembly, Chautauqua Travels, and the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC)—founded in 1878 as one of the first distance learning programs in the U.S.—to extend educational and cultural engagement beyond the summer season.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$63.35M
Contributions & grants$33.97M54%
Program service revenue$27.27M43%
Investment income$910K1%
Other revenue$1.20M
expenses
Total expenses$47.80M
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$21.30M
Grants paid out$1.01M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$304.39M
Cash$22.38M
Investments$2.73M
Liabilities$6.62M
Net assets$297.78M
Liquid reserves6.3 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +28.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 21
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
MICHAEL E HILL PRESIDENT 40 $472K
DEBORAH S MOORE SR VP & CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER 40 $275K
SEBASTIAN BAGGIANO EXECUTIVE VP 40 $274K
GEORGE L FOLLANSBEE JR SR VP & CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER 40 $272K
SHANNON ROZNER SR VP, GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY 40 $265K
AMIT TANEJA SR VP & CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER 40 $260K
MARK WENZLER DIR, Chautauqua Climate Change Initiative 40 $248K
AMY GARDNER VP OF ADVANCEMENT & CAMPAIGN OFFICER 40 $242K
EMILY MORRIS SR VP & CHIEF BRAND OFFICER 40 $224K
JOHN SHEDD VP OF CAMPUS PLANNING & OPERATIONS 40 $213K
JENNIFER STITELY DIRECTOR OF GIFT PLANNING 40 $198K
VANESSA WEINERT VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS 40 $190K
ANGELA SCHUETTLER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 40 $189K
MELISSA SPAS VP OF RELIGION 40 $181K
DEBORAH E MOORE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - FOUNDATION 1 $168K
LAURA SAVIA VP OF VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS 40 $158K
AMBER BLASHAK SR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES 40 $148K
RICHARD ERICKSON DIR OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE 40 $140K
EDWARD C ALEXANDER II DIRECTOR OF LITERARY ARTS 40 $140K
ROSSEN MILANOV MUSIC DIRECTOR OF CSO 40 $131K
JORDAN STEVES EMILY AND RICHARD SMUCKER CHAIR OF EDUCATION 40 $127K
board members · 4
  • ANITA LIN — TRUSTEE (THRU 10/24)
  • BOB W OBEE — TRUSTEE
  • CANDACE LITTELL MAXWELL — CHAIR
  • DAVID PECKINPAUGH — TRUSTEE
relationships · 23

Who they work with

  • African American Heritage House Partner — Collaborates with Chautauqua Institution to offer workshops on inclusion and address othering behaviors.
  • Amit Taneja Partner — Interim Chief Advancement Officer & Sr. Director for Community & Belonging, expressing gratitude on behalf of the Institution
  • Barrington Stage Company Partner — Co-produced the world premiere of "tiny father" by Mike Lew.
  • Chautauqua County Department of Health Government — Partners with Chautauqua Institution to monitor lake conditions and manage beach closures due to harmful algal blooms.
  • Chautauqua County Department of Health Partner — Collaborates with Chautauqua Institution to monitor lake water quality and determine safe conditions for beach openings.
  • Chautauqua Dance Partner — Collaborates on InterArts Projects such as "Go West!" and "Romeo & Juliet Project".
  • Chautauqua Foundation Funder — Non-profit entity through which philanthropy supports Chautauqua Institution's mission
  • Chautauqua Foundation Partner — Collaborates with Chautauqua Foundation to grow endowment through Boundless, A Campaign for Chautauqua.
  • Chautauqua Institution Archives Partner — Preserves institutional and movement-related records and artifacts, supporting research and public understanding of Chautauqua's history.
  • Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Partner — Offers a four-year distance learning program in literature and science, established as part of Chautauqua Institution's educational mission.
  • Chautauqua Opera Partner — Collaborates on InterArts Projects such as "Go West!" and "Romeo & Juliet Project".
  • Chautauqua Property Owners Association Partner — Invited members of the Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees’ Nominating and Governance Committee to participate in a community governance conversation.
  • Chautauqua Summer Schools Partner — Provides educational programming in art, music, dance, theater, and writing as part of Chautauqua Institution's offerings.
  • Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra Partner — Collaborates on InterArts Projects such as "Go West!" and "Romeo & Juliet Project".
  • Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra Partner — Performs regularly at Chautauqua Institution, contributing to its arts and cultural programming since 1929.
  • Chautauqua Writers’ Center Partner — Collaborates with the Chautauqua Theater Company to commission and develop new plays.
  • City Theatre Partner — Collaborated to build sets for CTC productions due to facility challenges.
  • Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Partner — Collaborates on educational programs including "Becoming History" and "Pursuing Happiness" masterclasses.
  • Drama League Partner — Collaborated with CTC to expand the directing fellows program.
  • Music School Voice Department Partner — Collaborates on InterArts Projects such as "Go West!" and "Romeo & Juliet Project".
  • Primary Stages Partner — Co-produced the commissioned world premiere of "The Light and The Dark (the Life and Times of Artemisia Gentileschi)" by Kate Hamill.
  • Telsey Office Partner — Partnered with CTC for casting and to expand the directing fellows program.
  • VACI Partner — Collaborated on the InterArts Project "Go West!" in 2014.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Arts-Integrated Lifelong Learning
    methodology: arts-integrated_learning
    By treating artistic engagement as essential to education and personal development, and integrating the arts across learning experiences, the Institution strengthens intellectual and cultural enrichment because creative participation is seen as foundational to holistic growth and civic vitality.
  • Dialogue as a Mechanism for Understanding and Civic Engagement
    methodology: dialogue_for_understanding
    By creating structured forums for civil, interfaith, and cross-cultural dialogue, the Institution advances a "beloved community" and deepens public understanding on social, religious, and political issues, because sustained conversation across difference is believed to inspire constructive action and mutual belonging.
  • Integrated Support Services Enable Programmatic Mission
    methodology: integrated_support_services
    By providing foundational infrastructure—such as food service, facility maintenance, and parking—the Institution enables all other program functions, ensuring a stable and functional environment in which cultural, educational, and artistic programming can thrive.
  • Philanthropy as Core to Institutional Sustainability
    methodology: philanthropy-driven_sustainability
    By securing broad-based donor support, the Institution sustains and expands its mission across the pillars of lifelong learning, the arts, faith, and civil dialogue, because philanthropy is viewed as essential to maintaining infrastructure, programming, and long-term vitality.