The Sacramento Bee interviews departing California Arts Council Director Barry Hessesnius, who leaves his post in May to make way for a Schwarzenegger appointee.

Since 2000, state lawmakers have slashed the Arts Council’s budget by staggering 97 percent, to a low of $1 million for the current year. “The state went from having the largest artist–in–residence program in the country to the smallest,” he says. “Through those programs, we figured about 850,000 schoolchildren, for instance, had access to the arts.”

Hessenius warns of the consequences of the current slide.

“What we are in danger of here, because of the budget cuts, and because of foundation, corporate and private funding cuts, is becoming a state of haves and have–nots as far as culture goes. In poorer or rural communities you won’t have arts anymore and that’s unfortunate.”

Read more of this story. Visit the California Arts Council online. Browse My California, an upcoming anthology in support of the arts.