For many people, yesterday was just a normal day as they strolled through the collections at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. But for the museum itself, it was the last day of normalcy for nearly a year as the galleries closed in preparation for the completion of a $150 million expansion that almost doubles the amount of gallery space.

Time is running out to view exhibitions at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. The galleries will close Sunday at 5 p.m. for 10 months as construction is completed on the new James and Frances McGlothlin Wing. The grand reopening will be May 1. “People should look forward to 10 months from now, for this fabulous new museum . . . that will be nothing less than spectacular,“ said Alex Nyerges, the museum’s director.

The show must go on. Despite slashed budgets, layoffs and myriad financial woes, the Richmond arts community says it will do whatever it takes to keep the lights on, seats filled and galleries bustling. No one is expecting any kind of a bailout. “We’re supposed to be creative,“ said Paul A. “Gus” Stuhlreyer, general director and CEO of Virginia Opera. “We get paid to be creative. Now we have to be creative.“

Cultural arts have a billion-dollar economic impact in Virginia. Research by Virginians for the Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts shows that arts and cultural activities create millions in income, produce millions in labor compensations and provide fulland part-time jobs for state residents. More than a third of paid admissions come from out-of-state visitors.