2010 Annual Report national historic landmark LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends, Over the next ten years, CCA will be committed to implementing the 2020 Plan and we will need your help. Thank you for another wonderful year at the You will be hearing in the months ahead more about the Colorado Chautauqua! Chautauqua 2020 Plan and how you can invest with us in the place and in the experience we all value so much by n spite of a still struggling economy, the Colorado supporting our initiatives. Chautauqua was fortunate to be supported by a loyal community of lodging guests, concert-goers, members Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve the Iand donors this past year. This unwavering support Colorado Chautauqua in its stewardship of one of our confirms that now more than ever, the Chautauqua values community’s jewels. Please join me in supporting the of voluntary simplicity, lifelong learning, love of nature, Colorado Chautauqua Association and its exciting plans music, oration and the arts are relevant and needed as an for the future! antidote to the hectic pace of today’s digital age. As the new president of the board of directors, I am Josh Taxman honored to help advance and perpetuate the mission President, Board of Directors of the Colorado Chautauqua Association (CCA) through Colorado Chautauqua Association strategies designed to ensure a sustainable future for the [email protected] Colorado Chautauqua — physically, programmatically, and financially. This includes our commitment to making the Colorado Chautauqua the most environmentally photo ©Werner Slocum sustainable National Historic Landmark in the country and, as such, a learning laboratory. To ensure a vibrant second century for the Colorado Mission Statement Chautauqua, the Association has been working for several The Colorado Chautauqua Association preserves years to articulate the Chautauqua 2020 Plan. The 2020 the site and perpetuates the spirit of the historic Plan is dedicated to preserving the buildings, grounds Chautauqua in Boulder, building community and spirit of the Colorado Chautauqua while making through unique cultural, educational, recreational improvements and enhancements that meet modern usage and social experiences. needs so that the Chautauqua experience will continue to resonate with relevance for all of Chautauqua’s many stakeholders for generations to come. The 2020 Plan grew Statement of Values out of and incorporates the recommendations of the The Chautauqua experience is based on lifelong Cultural Landscape Assessment and Plan (CLA) completed learning, love of nature, voluntary simplicity, and in 2004 and the HVS Nine-month Retreat Feasibility Study (2005). The CLA’s advisory committee included music, oration and the arts. Historic significance, representatives of the City of Boulder, neighbors, and a traditions, cultural relevance, respite and team of experts in landscape architecture, civil engineering enrichment are among the community benefits and transportation planning. provided by the Colorado Chautauqua. 3 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR efore radio and television, the Chautauqua part of a team of board and staff that is committed to Movement united millions across the United securing its long-term sustainability. States in common cultural and educational Thank you to all the people and organizations who experiences.B Orators, performers, and educators traveled have helped create yet another successful year for the a national Chautauqua circuit of more than 12,000 sites, Colorado Chautauqua! We thank our collaborators at the bringing lectures, performances, concerts, classes, and Chautauqua Dining Hall and Colorado Music Festival, our exhibitions to thousands of people in small towns and corporate sponsors and generous donors, the Scientific cities. Chautauqua “assemblies” drew thousands to stay and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), and the National in simple accommodations in beautiful settings for the Park Service Intermountain West Office and History purpose of education and enrichment, not to mention Colorado’s State Historical Fund. Thank you to our many interaction. Theodore Roosevelt called chautauquas, “the partners at the City of Boulder: Mayor Susan Osborne most American thing in America.” and the City Council, City Manager Jane Brautigam and Civic leaders in Boulder saw the value in having a her staff, the Landmarks Board and staff, the Parks and chautauqua in Boulder for the community benefit of Recreation Department, the Open Space and Mountain programming and the economic benefit of an annual influx Parks Department, Public Works/Transportation, of visitors. After a successful bond issue, the City purchased Community Planning and Sustainability and the City land, extended water lines and built the Auditorium and the Attorney’s Office. I add my personal thanks to the CCA Dining Hall for opening day July 4, 1898. Since its inception Board of Directors for their dedication and support, and more than 112 years ago, the Colorado Chautauqua has to our tireless and devoted staff who make it all happen evolved from seasonal tents to platforms to cottages and every day of every year. now to year-round lodging and programming, but its Thank you for your continued support of the Colorado fundamental values remain constant: lifelong learning, love Chautauqua Association and for helping us preserve and of nature, voluntary simplicity, and music, oration, education perpetuate the Colorado Chautauqua for the benefit of and the arts in an inspiring setting. generations to come. Ask anyone who has visited the Colorado Chautauqua about their memories of this unique National Historic Susan Connelly photo ©Werner Slocum Landmark and you will see their eyes light up as they Executive Director recount the sheer beauty of the location at the foot Colorado Chautauqua Association of Boulder’s Flatirons, the quaintness of the historic neighborhood, the charm of the cottages they stayed in, [email protected] the performances they enjoyed, and the precious time spent with loved ones. 2010 marked the completion of my seventh year as Executive Director of the Colorado Chautauqua Association (CCA) and I am fortunate to have too many memorable Chautauqua moments to count. Some of my favorite memories include: my first stay in a Chautauqua cottage; getting to know some of the multi-generation Chautauqua families; the David Byrne concert in the Auditorium; our National Historic Landmark designation in 2006, and my wedding reception in 2007. I am proud of the continuing evolution of our Chautauqua and being 4 photo ©Werner Slocum 2010 ACCOMPLISHMENTS PRESERVATION and During Preservation Month (May), the City of Boulder EDUCATION and INTERPRETATION Landmarks Board recognized CCA’s efforts to integrate SUSTAINABILITY historic preservation and energy efficiency. interpretive signage and audio tour recognition from boulder “We were impressed with the level of work that has Thanks to a generous been done and the steps Chautauqua is taking to retrofit landmarks board grant from the National historic buildings and see these efforts as an important Park Service, the Colorado While the Colorado Chautauqua becoming a leader in piece of the city’s climate action plan,” said James Hewat, Chautauqua Association will environmental sustainability may be a surprising notion historic preservation planner for the City of Boulder. be completing an audio tour to some, to the Colorado Chautauqua Association (CCA), “Historic preservation and environmental sustainability and installing phase II of the creation of the Learning Laboratory was a natural have previously been viewed autonomously, but interpretive signage for the outgrowth of our dedication to historic preservation, Chautauqua’s Greening Laboratory indicates that the two entirety of Chautauqua Park Chautauqua Auditorium 1898 utilizing evolving building science techniques, and can successfully work together.” this year. These new services providing education to the public. will greatly enhance the visitor’s understanding and Due to the nature and design of our facility, with 60 CAPITAL INVESTMENTS appreciation of this National Historic Landmark, its history small cottages as well as large iconic buildings like the and ongoing relevance. Auditorium and the Dining Hall, CCA possesses a unique preservation, maintenance and improving opportunity to conduct real-world experimentation on the visitor experience ways to increase the comfort of a building’s occupants CULTURAL RESIDENCY and reduce the structure’s environmental footprint while Preservation and welcoming our guests never compromising its historic integrity — providing a maintenance of the 67 bridge between historic preservation and the New Energy historic buildings and 26 Since opening day in 1898, people have traveled long Economy. Chautauqua Auditorium circa 1970 acres of grounds at the distances to have a chautauqua experience in Boulder. The lessons we are learning and sharing apply to Colorado Chautauqua Initially a tent city, seasonal cottages and lodges were built both small commercial as well as residential buildings National Historic Landmark and rebuilt over time (some even moved to Chautauqua regardless of their age or architectural style. for active year-round use is from other parts of town), resulting in a unique little a fundamental part of the neighborhood that for its first century, was primarily for Through the Learning Lab concept and our investigative daily stewardship activities summer use only. Today,