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the last two years of work, the museum's staff and board "never lost sight
of the fact that this could be fixed," says Hood.

The Phoenix Rising Campaign raised $1 million from 82 area contributors to
help the museum survive lost revenue the year it was closed. Now the museum
is back with a free summer art program for children ages 6 to 15, designed
to re-engage the community and the region in the museum's educational
programming.

And plans never flagged, even during the rebuilding, to move ahead with a
new sculpture commission and an outdoor sculpture park adjacent to the
museum. It is expected to be completed this summer, says Hood. She expects
attendance to return to and surpass the 72,000 visits per year the Owensboro
Museum of Fine Art generated before the fire.

In the fire's aftermath, Owensboro has demonstrated how important the museum
is.

"We see the community energizing itself around the museum," says Hood.

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