Sculpture by the Sea’s plea to stay afloat after crisis
Liz Hobday and Jack Gramenz |
Almost 100 outdoor artworks have been unveiled at the annual Sculpture by the Sea event as its founder calls for an overhaul of government support after a last-ditch funding plea.
“There’s a lot of artists in this exhibition that are very disappointed with the funding of Sculpture by the Sea and the funding of sculpture,” founding director David Handley said.
He called for a separate stream of government money that might benefit arts initiatives such as the annual sculpture event, which was launched at Sydney’s Tamarama on Friday.
Promoted as the largest free outdoor sculpture exhibition in the world, the annual Sydney event runs along the clifftops of the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk and is expected to attract an audience of about 450,000 people.
In September, the organisation went public with its financial woes, saying another $200,000 was needed for the 2025 event to go ahead.
Donors quickly pledged more than $125,000 and NRMA Insurance pitched in another $200,000 after becoming a major sponsor.
Funding bodies should examine how such a popular event could be left without federal government support, local independent MP Allegra Spender said.
“I urge the government and Creative Australia to look at the reasons that have prevented them sponsoring places like Sculpture by the Sea, and really assess that, because this exhibition does stand on its merits,” Ms Spender said at the launch.
The organisation’s application to Creative Australia for the 2025 event was rejected in the bottom third of applications, Mr Handley said, repeating claims the funding body was “totally indifferent” about whether the exhibition could continue.
Creative Australia maintains the organisation has not applied for any recent funding opportunities, which are run through an open and competitive process.
Funding from the NSW government meant artists would receive at least $4000 towards construction, freight and installation costs, Mr Handley said, while the exhibition relied on more than 100 volunteers stepping up to help run the event.
On Friday, the $70,000 Aqualand Sculpture Award went to artist James Rogers, who is based in the northern NSW town of Walcha and has participated in Sculpture by the Sea 20 times.
As well as funding challenges, the event is currently fighting its lead installer in the Fair Work Commission.
The unfair dismissal case was launched by installer Yuri Humeniuk, who suffered facial lacerations at the organisation’s Kingswood storage depot in 2024.
Mr Humeniuk, who had to undergo facial surgery, claims he was sacked after complaining about safety.
But lawyers for Sculpture by the Sea have argued Mr Humeniuk was employed as a casual, and it had no obligation to offer him ongoing work.
Handley again defended the organisation’s safety record, saying the Kingswood incident was the first time a worker has been injured in 29 years.
AAP
