Premier announces renewed support for the iconic Sculpture by the Sea

NSW Premier Mike Baird has today announced the NSW Government will continue its support for the world famous Sculpture by the Sea for a further four years.

Mr Baird made the announcement at the launch of Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, with Founding Director David Handley at Marks Park, Tamarama.

Mr Baird said the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government had renewed its commitment to provide $1.2 million toward the outdoor exhibition for the next four years.

“Sculpture by the Sea is one of Sydney’s best known and loved outdoor exhibitions and I’m proud to announce our continued support for this annual event,” Mr Baird said.

“The exhibition along Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk is going from strength to strength and is now considered to be the largest and best attended annual sculpture exhibition in the world.

“Sculpture by the Sea attracts about 500,000 visitors to NSW each year, including an increasing number of people from Western Sydney.

“Last year, 24 per cent of visitors – or more than 100,000 people – from the region visited the exhibition along Sydney’s Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, up from seven per cent in 2007.

“Sculpture by the Sea increases the State’s appeal as an international arts and cultural destination, with more than 14,000 visitors arriving from interstate, and almost 5,000 arriving from overseas.

“The exhibition also provides an almost $60 million boost in indirect expenditure to the State economy as a result of the visitors who travel to NSW specifically for the exhibition.

“I’m proud to support this popular, free outdoor exhibition, offering people an opportunity to experience more than 100 art works from Australian and international sculptors.”

Mr Handley thanked the Premier for the NSW Government’s commitment and said the funding would assist in planning four more exciting years of the exhibition.

“It’s a pleasure to work with the NSW Government and to receive this all important support, without which it would be almost impossible to stage Sculpture the Sea.

“Importantly one third of the funding goes directly to artists to help them with their costs of exhibiting in this free to the public event,” said Mr Handley.