Sculpture by the Sea has been offered a $200,000 lifeline after organisers made an urgent plea for funding just weeks out from this year’s event.
The annual exhibition, which is held on the Bondi to Tamarama cliff walk, was facing cancellation ahead of its October 17 start date after failing to secure federal government funding.
Founder David Handley said the event relied on a combination of funding from the state government and Waverely Council, but had not received any federal money for the last two years, resulting in a $200,000 shortfall.
After a public appeal for donations, organisers announced on Friday morning that it had acquired a major partnership with NRMA Insurance and the event will now go ahead as planned.
Mr Handley said the last-minute $200,000 funding had lifted the spirits of the artists and staff involved.
In addition, the event also received more than $125,000 in public donations within the 30 hours of launching its appeal.
Members of the public donated more than $125,000 within 30 hours of the appeal. (Supplied: Mitsuo Takeuchi)
Mr Handley said he was “grateful” to the many people who rallied around the event, including the artists “for their patience and trust”.
“Thank you to so many people who responded so quickly to our funding shortfall,” he added.
The annual sculpture walk, which attracts around 450,000 visitors each year, typically costs around $3 million with installation alone coming to $800,000.
Founder David Handley, artists Kasane Low and Niharika Hukku, and 2023 Sculpture by the Sea winner John Petrie. (ABC News: Pablo Vinales)
Artists who exhibit at Sculpture by the Sea spend an average of $15,000 on each artwork, inclusive of materials, transportation and installation costs.
Organisers had criticised Creative Australia — the government’s peak arts body — for the shortfall in funding.
Creative Australia claimed the event had not submitted an application for funding, including from its recent arts project investments for organisations program.
“Funding does not automatically renew at the end of a funding cycle. To be considered for funding, organisations must apply for funding through an open and competitive process,” a spokesperson said.