David Handley
Founder, Sculpture by the Sea, Social Entrepreneur & Cultural Innovator
A former lawyer turned cultural entrepreneur, David Handley founded Sculpture by the Sea and built the event from a $400 launch budget into a global arts phenomenon spanning Sydney and Denmark. Recognised as a top Australian innovator and social entrepreneur, David inspires audiences with his story of vision, grit, and bringing big ideas to life.
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David Handley is the founder of Sculpture by the Sea, one of the world’s largest and most celebrated public sculpture exhibitions. What began in 1996 with a dream from childhood, a $400 marketing budget, and a leap of faith away from law has grown into a global cultural phenomenon attracting more than 450,000 visitors along Sydney’s iconic Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk each year.
David’s story is one of vision, resilience and social entrepreneurship. From building sponsorship from the ground up to navigating the complexities of large-scale outdoor installations, he has grown Sculpture by the Sea into a global brand, extended its reach into education programs, and championed accessibility through initiatives for schools and disadvantaged communities.
Recognised internationally, David was commissioned by Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Denmark to establish Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus, expanding the exhibition’s impact into Europe. Earlier, in 1998, he delivered a national series of exhibitions in Darwin, Albany, Noosa, the Tasman Peninsula and Bondi—comprising Australia’s largest visual arts event at the time, featuring over 260 sculptures and attracting more than 250,000 visitors.
Beyond the arts, David founded The Fiji Swims, a major annual sporting and community event that supports the Shane Gould Swimming Project. The swims have featured athletes with a combined 17 Olympic Gold Medals, and have become a celebrated initiative in reducing the high rate of drowning in Fiji. Working alongside Olympic legend Shane Gould and coach Milt Nelms, David helped establish the Shane Gould Swimming Project Fiji to drive vital community education.
A respected cultural leader, David has served on boards including the International Sculpture Center (USA), the Shane Gould Swimming Project, Sculpture by the Sea Incorporated and was a trustee of the Australian Museum Trust from 2002–2010.
His work has earned numerous accolades and Sculpture by the Sea has also received multiple national arts and business awards and remains one of Sydney’s most beloved cultural events.
A sought-after speaker, David regularly presents to organisations such as CEDA, The Queen’s Club, the European Union Diplomatic Corps, and the Australian Business Arts Foundation—bringing audiences an engaging mix of entrepreneurial insight, creative leadership, social responsibility and memorable, heart-warming stories from the journey.
