Chautauqua History

The Chautauqua movement began at Lake Chautauqua, New York in the late 1800's. Initially it provided “education and uplift” for family groups who came to the Chautauqua camp.

The idea spread and Circuit Chautauquas began to tour North America offering programs that were informational and inspirational to small towns and rural areas. The programs were entertaining, but they were also educational. “We called it Culture,” said one early participant.

The early pioneers who settled in Morden decided to keep this culture alive and well.

Today, culture permeates the daily lives of Mordenites in many ways. Visits to museums and art galleries, public displays of artwork, theatrical, musical and dance performances, community festivals and appreciation of natural heritage are all examples of how culture touches our lives.

Did Morden Host a Chautauqua Before 2008?

Morden hosted programs of the Dominion Chautauqua in Sept. 1919. Some of these programs were presented in the company’s Chautauqua tent; others were held at the Victoria Theatre (which was located across the street from the historic Arlington Hotel).
In this Reconstruction era after the Great War, Chautauqua performers knew the world had been torn asunder and that it would take more than a peace treaty to rekindle the spirit of Canadians. They believed that artistic and cultural inspiration could revive the nation’s “drooping spirits.”

Other Chautauquas had been held in Morden in subsequent years—a Dominion Chautauqua in 1927 and one hosted by students and staff of Morden Collegiate in 1989. The “Chautauqua Spirit” program in 2008 shares the belief of those earlier celebrations—which our community benefits when “people of all places and planes of society, of all sects and altars” sit down together “to listen and learn of common things that concern us all.”

Morden’s 2008 Chautauqua Spirit Celebrations

Morden had a wide range of artistic and cultural activities in 2008 and much of it was made possible with funding from Canadian Heritage. Morden was designated a Cultural Capital of Canada for 2008.

Morden’s spirit-building activities included many organizations providing inspiration to people in the Morden community and beyond.

The many cultural events taking place in Morden throughout 2008 were focused in six groups of projects:

• Journey Home Festival – included music festivals, walks, plays, and competitions.
• Chautauqua Celebration Festival - included art exhibits, art classes, a play and a heritage quilt.
• Chautauqua Spirit Workshops – on art, marketing, volunteering and preserving heritage.
• Coming Up Roses – art sculpture, banner art, photo art as well as presentations and garden tours.
• Murals of Morden – included the production of four new murals in Morden.
• Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre – included a film documentary, digitization of the fossil collection, educational kits, palaeontology workshops, and entertaining fossil songs.