Sculpture by the Sea Saved by NRMA Insurance After Funding Cut
Sculpture by the Sea, the iconic exhibition from Bondi to Tamarama, is set to return next month after securing a major sponsorship from NRMA Insurance. This comes after a $200,000 funding shortfall arose following the withdrawal of federal funding.
Federal Funding Dispute
The announcement of NRMA Insurance's sponsorship came a day after federal Arts Minister Tony Burke ruled out federal funding for the exhibition. Burke stated his decision was based on advice that Sculpture by the Sea did not adequately compensate its artists.
Burke elaborated on his stance:
"People enjoy going to it, it attracts huge crowds but one of the principles we established in our cultural policy was that, for too long, artists have been expected to work for free as though their life’s work was a hobby and not a career... The last information I have received was to have your works included in Sculpture by the Sea you are not paid. In fact, you had to pay them."
The organisers also welcomed $125,000 in public donations from locations including Singapore, France, and Japan, showing international support for the event.
Sponsorship Allocations and Artist Support
David Handley, founder of Sculpture by the Sea, indicated that a portion of NRMA Insurance’s sponsorship would be allocated to assisting artists who "needed further assistance." This support will also extend to the revival of aspects of the event's school education program in time for the exhibition.
“We realise just how much the artists contribute to the exhibition and in the absence of federal government funding we need to do as much as we can to help the artists,” he said. “In this case an amount to be decided is going to artists who we know need further assistance.”
