State arts council director resigns

Barry Hessenius is resigning as director of the embattled California Arts Council in anticipation of a new appointee to the job.

“In discussions with the governor’s staff, I believe he intends to support this agency; and I think that support will effectively remove the threat of elimination this year,” said Hessenius, whose resignation will take effect next month.

Last year, funding for the council dropped from $21.1 million to $3.1 million, putting the state in last place nationally in per capita funding of the arts and virtually doing away with arts grants on the state level. California spends 9 cents per capita, compared with the U.S. average of $1.15, according to figures from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.

As a result, the council has ceased making grants to arts groups, individual artists and arts education programs. The only grants issued this fiscal year have been $10,000 payments to local arts commissions in nine rural counties

“I am hopeful that the principle of public funding can be more firmly established and that ... there will be a re-commitment of state general fund support,” Hessenius said in a statement.

After May 15, Juan Carrillo, the arts council’s chief of grants, will serve as an interim director until Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announces an appointment. Hessenius has served as director of the agency the last four years.

Adam Gottlieb, communications director for the group, said the agency is “working with the governor’s office, and this is intended to create a smooth transition of the leadership.”