Carbon Trader (ABC Local (Martin Corben): Stephen King)

Sydney's Sculpture by the Sea exhibition is opening two weeks earlier this year to take advantage of the extra daylight saving hours.

The exhibition, which opens tomorrow, will feature 107 sculptures from Australia and around the world, displayed along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk.

Highlights include a major granite sculpture valued at $250,000 by Japanese artist Keizo Ushio.

Sculpture by the Sea founder David Handley says the current economic crisis may attract even more visitors than usual.

Soldier scale 1:1 (ABC Local (Martin Corben): Ruth Bellotti and Steve Rosewell)

"One of the ideas of Sculpture by the Sea is to put on a major, free-to-the-public event for the people of Sydney," he said.

"I suppose in times of economic hardship, if that's where we're heading, we're here for everyone and free as always, but we wouldn't mind asking people to consider donating even a dollar when they come along because if we only get a dollar from every tenth person that'll help us to help the artist more and to keep going."

Sculpture by the Sea is also branching out internationally with an inaugural exhibition at Aarhus in Denmark next June.

Mr Handley says the expansion of the exhibition overseas will provide new opportunities for Australian artists.

"The Crown Prince [Frederik] and Crown Princess [Mary] of Denmark loved Sculpture by the Sea when they were falling in love I suppose," he said.

"They set the balls or the wheels in motion to get Sculpture by the Sea over to Denmark.

"It's a beautiful spot and there'll be about 25 Australian sculptors in the show so it'll be a real boon for Australian sculptors."

Urchins, recycled ferrous scrap metal, various dimensions (ABC Local (Martin Corben): Kelly-Ann Lees)