Jerry Ford completed his three year appointment to the Missouri Arts Council Annual Award Panel this month. The independent panel of Missourians representing the arts community from throughout the state selects the honorees from among public nominations. The awards are the state's highest honor in the arts. Honorees are recognized for their profound and lasting contributions to the artistic and cultural legacy of the state. The award categories are Arts Education, Arts Organization, Creative Community, Individual Artist, Leadership in the Arts, and Philanthropy. Ford received the Individual Artist award in 2017.