EDUCATION
2021 Master of Fine Arts (Distinction) in Spatial Performance and Design, Architectural Association School of Architecture, London
2013 Honours, Sculpture Major, National Art School, Sydney
2012 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sculpture Major, National Art School, Sydney
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 Canopy of Thoughts, Making Space, Fitzrovia Noir, London
2021 Reclaimed Chaos, Public Program, Architectural Association, London
2019 Plaception, Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, Nowra
2016 Mind Walk, Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 OpenField Arts Festival, Berry
2012 – 2024 Sculpture by the Sea Bondi, Sydney
2023 Time Space Existence, European Cultural Centre, Venice Architecture Biennial, Venice
2023 Elegant Warriors of Justice, The Koppel Project Station, London
2023 New Wave, Spitalfields Studio Gallery, London
2023 The Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance Summit, Canada
2021 Next Big Thing, exhibition, Old Design Museum, London
2021 Health and the Climate and Ecological Emergency Exhibition, UCLH, London
2019 Answering in Epilogue, LiTE-HAUS Gallery, Berlin
2018 In the Birds Mouth, Substructured Loss Centre at BOW Arts, London
2018 Hillview Sculpture Biennial, Southern Highlands
2017 Sculpture at Barangaroo, Barangaroo Reserve, Sydney
2017 Introducing, Stanley Street Gallery, Sydney
2017 Sculpture 2017, Maunsell Wickes Gallery, Sydney
2015 – 2018 Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe, Cottesloe
2015 – 2016 Sculpture at Scenic World, Katoomba
2016 TA DA, Shoalhaven City Art Centre and Regional Gallery, Nowra
2016 Borne Sculpture for the Body, Stanley Street Gallery, Sydney
2015 Causation, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney
AWARDS & ARTIST RESIDENCIES (AIR)
2025 AIR, Arts-based Knowledge Translation Lab, Black Dog Institute | DEXUS Sydney
2025 AIR, Lighthouse Arts Residency, Newcastle
2024 AIR, PlantingSeeds Projects, Sydney
2023 AIR, Making Space, Fitzrovia Noir, London
2021 Sculpture Winner, ‘Next Big Thing’, 6-part TV series aired on London Live, UK
2019 Creative Development Fellowship, Create NSW
2019 AIR, Kangaroo Valley Public School, Kangaroo Valley
2019 AIR, Mind Walk, Substructured Loss Centre, London & Berlin
2018 Artist Support Grant, Mind Walk #3, Create NSW
2018 First Prize, Hillview Sculpture Biennial, Southern Highlands
2018 AIR, Mind Walk #3, Substructured Loss Centre, London
2018 AIR, Mind Walk #2, Fremantle Art Centre, Fremantle
2017 AIR, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney
2016 AIR, Mind Walk #1, Fremantle Art Centre, Fremantle
2015 First Prize & People’s Choice Prize, Sculpture at Scenic World, Fremantle
2015 Waverley Artists Studio Residency, WWAS, Sydney
2014 People’s Choice Prize, Sculpture at Sawmillers, Sydney
2012 Clitheroe Foundation Mentorship, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Sydney
2012 Julian Beaumont Sculpture Prize, Sydney
COMMISSIONS
2025 Public Art, Momento Hospitality | Guppy Arts Management, Oran Park Hotel, Sydney
2025 Public Art, Silos Estate, Berry
2022 Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail Shop Art Project, Sculpture by the Sea, Tumbarumba
2019 Easter Public Art, Wollongong City Council, Crown Street Mall, Sydney
2019 Socially engaged art and Mind Walk #4 exhibition, Shoalhaven Arts Board Grant
2019 Public Art, Mountain Ridge Winery, Shoalhaven Heads
2017 Shoalhaven City Council Public Art Grant, Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Nowra
2017 Public Art – CNY Rooster, MIRVAC | Art Pharmacy Consulting, Broadway Mall, Sydney
2017 Public Art – Community Letters, MIRVAC | Art Pharmacy Consulting, Green Square, Sydney
2016 Public Art, Sydney Boys Grammar Preparatory School, Sydney
2016 Sculpture, Deloitte | Art Pharmacy Consulting, Sydney
2014 Sculpture, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sydney
2014-2024 Private commissions, NSW & WA
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
2025 General Board Member, South Coast Arts
2024-2025 Education Program Coordinator, Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail
2024-2025 School Education, Access & Inclusion Program Coordinator, Sculpture by the Sea, NSW
2025 Media Officer, Arts and Health Network NSW/ACT
2025 Co-curator, Manifest, Fitzrovia Noir | Trinity Buoy Wharf Trust, London
2025 Artists Model, for The Flour Duet, Tamara Dean, Sydney
2024 Project Manager, Habitat Construction, PlantingSeeds Projects, Sydney
2024 Internship, Arts and Health Network, NSW/ACT
2017-2025 Casual lecturer, The National Art School, Sydney
2015-2024 Educator, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Cottesloe and Snowy Valleys
2022-2023 Coordinator and Educator, Meta Open Arts, London
2021-2022 Manager, Eye to Pencil drawing studio, London
2018-2021 Research partnership, Centre for the Study of Substructured Loss, Canada
2015-2018 Tour Host, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi and Cottesloe
2018 Research Consultant, AG Public Art, Sydney
2015 Internship with Artist Isidro Blasco, Madrid, Lisbon and New York
2012-2013 Mentorship with Artist Clara Hali
PUBLICATIONS
2025 Festival Review: OpenField Berry | Artshub
2025 OpenField Arts Festival | South Coast Style
2025 “A life-threatening situation” an artists close call and climate anxiety| South Coast Register
2024 A Conversation with PlantingSeeds’ Artist in Residence Elyssa Sykes-Smith | PlantingSeeds website
2024 SCULPTURE BY THE SEA: Climate Transformation Artwork by Elyssa Sykes-Smith | AHNNA website
2023 Urban landscape, community and ancestral architecture: reflections on the group show “Time Space Existence” in Venice | Juliet Contemporary Art Magazine
2023 Ecological Change edition, Climate Creatives Challenge
2019 Plaception Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, South Coast Register
2021 Elyssa Sykes-Smith: London Live’s ‘Next Big Thing’ | The London Magazine
2018 Artist Profile, Escape Southern Highlands
2017 Artist Profile | South Coast Style
2017 Artist Profile | Sculpture at Scenic World | SMH
2015 Sculpture at Scenic World transforms Blue Mountains rainforests | SMH
2015 Sculpture at Scenic World Winner | Artist Profile
2015 Form and Function | ArtView Magazine