There was a major ceremony at the Speed Museum in Louisville last week for the unveiling of its new Art Park. According to its announcement:

The Speed Art Museum is proud to announce the opening of its new Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman Art Park, a three-acre landscape surrounding the Museum that brings the power of art into the open air. Featuring large scale contemporary sculptures, native landscapes, and 150 new trees, the Art Park provides daily public access, a free and welcoming space for reflection, discovery, and connection right in the heart of one of Louisville’s most varied and vibrant neighborhoods.

The opening was a major production that included speeches by Kentucky first lady Britainy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg:

But then, reality set in, and we have this development:

Citing “a challenging financial period,” the Speed Art Museum recently closed its Learning, Engagement and Belonging Department, according to a news release.

The museum’s board approved the 2026 fiscal year budget Sept. 5, which reduced annual operating expenses by around 30% and resulted in nine jobs being cut, Director of Marketing and Communications Kim Butterweck said. The museum and UAW negotiated a severance agreement for employees represented by the union, according to the release.

Butterweck said the museum “experienced rapid growth” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased employees by around 68%, but despite “important gains in programming and reach,” the growth was unsustainable with the current economic environment.

I would imagine a lot of money was collected to establish the art park. I walk by the museum almost daily, and I’ve seen the construction, landscaping and installations go on for the past several months. The museum and grounds look fantastic.

But the question is, if there’s no one around to educate people on the importance of the arts, how are people going to even know they exist?