Crowell named to Missouri's arts trust fund board

State Sen. Jason Crowell (R-Cape Girardeau) has been appointed to the board of directors of the Missouri Arts Council Cultural Trust Fund, the first legislator from Southeast Missouri to be appointed to the post in recent memory.

Crowell's office announced the appointment, made by Senate President Pro-Tem Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood), on Monday.

Crowell replaces Sen. Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) on the board.

The board of directors is comprised of the 15 members of the Missouri Arts Council's board of directors plus the state treasurer, two members of the Missouri Senate and two members of the Missouri House of Representatives. The body is responsible for overseeing the funds in the state's cultural trust, which provides funding for Missouri Arts Council programming.

Crowell will join Cape Girardeau neurosurgeon and photographer Dr. Joel Ray, a member of the arts council's board of directors. Ray was the first Southeast Missouri resident appointed to the arts council's board in over 20 years.