Funding for the Documentary on Chautauqua at 150
Factuality Rating: Question
Question:
Did the Institution pay PBS, its subsidiaries or contractors $800,000 for production of the Chautauqua/Marsalis documentary? Did the Board of Trustees approve this large expenditure prior to its being paid?
Summary:
The Institution is under agreement with PBS to pay $800,000, which represents a portion of the cost of producing and nationally distributing a one-hour documentary about Chautauqua on its 150th birthday and a full-length online presentation of “All Rise” featuring Chautauqua’s Music School Festival Orchestra with The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus. Several donors enthusiastically contributed gifts to Chautauqua to cover Chautauqua’s portion of this project 100%.
Consistent with longstanding practices, the Board was advised of this unbudgeted expense and donor philanthropy in July. Because the unbudgeted expense was guaranteed by philanthropy, we anticipate no impact on the 2024 budget’s bottom-line performance.
References and Sources
Staff and Board of Trustees Reports