Our Programs
Muskoka Chautauqua’s vibrant arts community offers the opportunity to experience personal growth and enrichment through arts-based programs.
Flavours of Muskoka Chautauqua
The annual Flavours of Muskoka Chautauqua event is an amazing tasting evening featuring great chefs, wineries, breweries, and distilleries along with vegetarian and non-alcoholic treats to sample. Live music and a silent auction add to the fun. As Muskoka Chautauqua’s main fundraiser, it’s great food for a great cause: raising funds for arts education in Muskoka.
Flavours was a huge success this year and we hope to see everyone again next year!
Artists in Residence
Muskoka Chautauqua offers weekly Artist-in-Residence programs for July and August at both Clevelands House Resort on the shores of Lake Rosseau, and at The ‘New’ Baldwins in Windermere. These programs provide daily, hands-on workshops with professional artists for kids & adults alike. Wednesday night Art Parties on the verandah offer guided instruction, art appreciation, and cocktails.
Opera Muskoka
Muskoka Chautauqua partners with OperaMuskoka to present world-class opera performances and master classes in intimate venues throughout Muskoka.
Celebrate Opera with the 2017/2018 NY Metropolitan Opera Encore Season at the Rene M Caisse Theatre.
Cellar Singers
Muskoka Chautauqua is pleased to promote The Cellar Singers of Muskoka and Simcoe, who have been bringing beautiful music to central and northern Ontario for almost 50 years. You can learn more and purchase tickets to all their concerts by visiting TheCellarSingers.com.
Arts in Education
Muskoka Chautauqua’s Arts in Education program, formerly known as Kaleidoscope, is an innovative program that links professional artists with teachers and students of all ages in Muskoka. Using the nationally acclaimed ArtsSmarts model, our teacher – artist teams use the arts to increase student engagement in their learning.
Chautauqua Reads
Whether you’re an avid reader or just enjoy good conversation, Muskoka Chautauqua Reads is part of our Summer Season Program. In some cases, the authors themselves may show up to read from their books.
2017 Reading List
This year’s booklist is inspired by books for Children and Youth, and of course, by Muskoka!
The Adventures of the Dwarfgiants by Steven Jacklin
Origami Peace Cranes by Sue DiCiccio
2016 Reading List
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Room by Emma Donoghue
Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
The Lost Chord by Ian Thomas **Author Ian Thomas was at the library to read from his book and sign copies.**
The Year of The Flood by Margaret Atwood
2015 Reading List
Talking Through Pictures: My Life in Songwriting,
The Thief’s Journal,
The Beauty of the Husband, A Fictional Essay in 29 Tangos,
The Ballad of Murray McLauchlan: Getting Out of Here Alive,
The Orenda,
With Knowing Eyes: Canadian Women in Song,
The Mayor of MacDougal Street: a Memoir,
2013 Reading List
Up and Down,
Navigating Canada’s Health Care: A User Guide,
Literary Lapses,
The Power of More,
Healthy Starts Here,
Phoenix: The Life of Norman Bethune,
Little Ship of Fools,
2012 Reading List
Room for All of Us,
John A, The Man Who Made Us,
Jereymy’s War 1812,
Whispering Pines: the Northern Roots of American Music,
Keeper’n Me,
The Hidden World of Huckleberry Rock,
2011 Reading List
Hana’s Suitcase,
The Way the Crow Flies,
Northern Lights,
The Bishop’s Man,
Merchants of Doubt,
A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book,
2010 Reading List
Out of Muskoka,
Local Library: Global Passport,
The Wabeno Feast,
Canoe Lake,
Unlocking the Doors: A Woman’s Struggle against Intolerance,
The Summer before the Storm,
Reading Lists of the Past
The original Reading Circle was established in 1922. The intention of the Reading Circle was to introduce and advance the works of Canadian authors. It is interesting to note that the study of Canadian literature was not considered credit-worthy at the University of Toronto until after World War II, and then only as a subject of graduate study.
Chautauqua weeks hosted famous authors of the day such as Bliss Carman, G. D. Roberts, E. J. Pratt, and Dorothy Livesay reading from their works, accessible to their readers and discussing issues of the day. Chautauqua provided inspiration and intellectual challenge for its members.
1927 Reading List
The Golden Dog,
Little Hearts,
Poems,
The Sweet of the Year,
Familiar Fields,
1926 Reading List
In the Morning of Times,
Lords of the North,
Canadian Portraits,
William Henry Drummond,
One Act Plays, Second Series,