One of the primary fund raising functions of the Festival Committee in addition to raising money to directly cover the cost of producing the Festival and keeping it free to the public, is to help finance the “musicultural exchange” between New Rochelle and our Sister City La Rochelle, France. The Jazz Festival Committee working in conjunction with the Sister City Committee selects from a pool of worthy applicants a young Jazz student/musician to travel to La Rochelle and perform at the Jazz In August Festival each year. We in turn, receive from the French Festival Committee, their qualified applicant to perform at our New Rochelle Jazz Festival. A portion of the monies raised goes toward housing and transportation and internship programs for the students. In a mutually beneficial and culturally enriching atmosphere music students from both countries learn to value each city’s contribution to the Arts.The La Rochelleans learn the rich history of Jazz only “45 minutes from Broadway”. The New Rochelleans learn how highly the French value our Jazz culture and how well the French society supports the Arts. All the students learn to be responsible young adults, to be responsible to their talent and to their art form.The special relationship between our cities is unique and deserves to be renewed every year with the talents of our best and brightest.In this way we all contribute to the health of our respective communities and in no small way to world peace.On both sides of the Atlantic, “we believe that culturally educating young minds are our gateway to the future” So please bear this in mind when you become supporters of the Jazz Festival and donate generously.