SILER CITY, N.C. — Eight Jordan-Matthews High School arts students will have an opportunity to experience world-class art and performances in New York City over spring break thanks in part to a grant from the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund.

Offered annually by JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, the New York Arts Adventure provides an opportunity for students to experience the pinnacle of their arts and learn directly from world-class professionals working in the city. The five-day trip also provides new cultural and artistic perspectives that can shape their art and work.

This year’s trip is still being planned, but already on the schedule are extended conversations over lunch about theater with Washington Post drama critic Peter Marks and about life in the arts with Jessie Austrian, a Broadway actor, theater director and a founder and co-artistic director of Fiasco Theater.

Past trips have included a conversation over lunch with Tony Award-nominee Andy Grotelueschen and post-show conversations and onstage or backstage tours on Broadway with cast members from “Kimberly Akimbo,” “Six,” “Tootsie,” and “The Band’s Visit.”

JMArts President Rose Pate said this generous grant from the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund helps meet the arts foundation’s goal of making the life-changing New York Arts Adventure available to all students, regardless of their family’s economic circumstances.

The grant provides seven arts experiences chosen with the participating students. Already, the group has selected “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club” on Broadway, expected by many to be the theater event of the season; an afternoon at the Museum of Modern Art; the Off-Broadway production of “The Play That Goes Wrong”; and a morning street art tour in Brooklyn followed by a hands-on graffiti workshop. One evening, part of the group will head to the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center for “Alice Sara Ott Performs Ravel” while others return to Broadway for the musical, “& Juliet.” Two other performances and related events are still being arranged.

The Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund supports local nonprofits, special school projects, food, shelter and community service projects. A fund committee of eight Galloway Ridge residents volunteer their time to make the grants possible, and money is donated by Galloway Ridge residents to make a difference in the lives of their Chatham County neighbors.

Last spring, the fund partnered with JMArts to offer “Sharing our Musical Voices,” a songwriting workshop over several weeks taught by singer-songwriter Mark Dillon that culminated with a free, public concert in downtown Siler City with singer-songwriter Jordan-Pickett, where Jordan-Matthews songwriters from the workshop performed their original work.

Becky Spence, chair of the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund Grants Committee, said the New York Arts Adventure is another project that can make a difference. “The JMArts program enriches the lives of students with special trips, as well as community theater and other musical performances,” she said. “We are pleased that the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund can contribute to these art experiences for students from Jordan-Matthews.”

More information about JMArts, including the New York Arts Adventure and other events throughout the arts season, is available at JMArts.org.

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