The Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, has dissolved a department for educational programming and laid off nine employees, citing financial challenges.The institution announced in a statement last month that it would close its Learning, Engagement, and Belonging Department, which oversaw programs for local K-12 students, among others. The Speed Art Museum, a 100-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the state’s largest and oldest museum and houses an encyclopedic collection.In an unsigned statement on September 19, the museum said that it had “undertaken unprecedented growth in the past several years,” but that those efforts had not resulted in increased revenue.“Like many nonprofits, the Speed Art Museum is navigating a challenging financial period,” the statement reads. “The Trustees, the Museum’s governing board, are making important organizational decisions to position the museum for strategic growth and sustainability. This includes closing the Learning, Engagement & Belonging Department.”A museum spokesperson told Hyperallergic that the museum’s Board of Trustees approved a budget that cut the institution’s operating expenses by 30%. Working under that constraint, the spokesperson said, the institution sought to preserve “non-negotiables,” which include security and building maintenance.Louisville Public Media reported that all school tours at the Speed Museum will be paused indefinitely as a result of the department closure, and its Día de Los Muertos celebration this year, an event usually planned by the terminated department, will not be held. A workshop for artists over the age of 55 and school workshops are also cancelled. The department served 20,000 individuals, including adults and school children, according to Louisville Public Media.Some of the department’s programs will continue to operate, including its Art Sparks interactive gallery. School tours will resume after a pause, the Speed Museum spokesperson said.“Education and community engagement remain central to our mission. The way we deliver them is evolving, but our commitment has not changed,” the spokesperson told Hyperallergic. “We must adapt to today’s economic realities to ensure the Speed continues to serve the Commonwealth of Kentucky for generations to come.”The institution said it laid off nine employees associated with the now-defunct department, including its director, an associate director for school engagement, two teaching artists, and two facilitators of the Art Sparks program, an interactive gallery for all ages. According to the museum’s public statement, the institution negotiated severance packages for affected unionized staff.Hyperallergic has contacted the Speed Art Museum Workers United union for comment.The announcement came days before the opening of the museum’s brand new three-acre Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman Art Park, a $22 million public outdoor sculpture garden funded by a capital campaign. The museum said in an October 1 announcement that the park would welcome students and families and create “equitable access to open space and cultural experiences.”In Fiscal Year 2024, the museum reported increased revenue and expenses compared to the prior year, according to its tax documents. The majority of the institution’s income, about 68%, comes from private contributions. Program services revenue accounted for only 3.2% of the institution’s revenue in 2024. The institution reported a deficit of nearly $2.5 million in 2023.