Introduction: Edward Summerton RSA

  • The RSA Annual Exhibition, the prestigious highlight of our year-round exhibition programme, is the largest and longest-running exhibition of contemporary...

    Ian McCulloch RSA, Bogles

    The RSA Annual Exhibition, the prestigious highlight of our year-round exhibition programme, is the largest and longest-running exhibition of contemporary art and architecture in Scotland. 

     

    Now in its 197th year, the RSA Annual Exhibition celebrates not only the breadth of work by our Academicians and Honorary Academicians along with works selected from submissions received throughout the UK and worldwide, but heralds another exciting year of invaluable support for artists and architects through our programme of residencies, scholarships, exhibitions and awards.

     

    Our Convenors for this year’s Annual Exhibition are Stuart Mackenzie RSA and Deputy Convenor Paul Stallan RSA (Elect), who have selected and installed an exhibition spanning painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, drawing and film, alongside work by some of our country’s leading architects. This year the exhibition will encompass a selection of physical works presented in the galleries along with exclusive works presented digitally, enabling the audience an opportunity to view the exhibition internationally.

  • Spread throughout the galleries will be memorial presentations to our Academicians sadly lost over the past year: Frank Pottinger RSA,...

    Victoria Crowe RSA, Stillness

    Spread throughout the galleries will be memorial presentations to our Academicians sadly lost over the past year: Frank Pottinger RSA, Ian Arnott RSA, Barry Gasson RSA and Graeme Todd RSA.The Annual Exhibition follows hot on the heels of a programme of RSA exhibitions presented across all available galleries this year including: Into the Distance: the RSA Barns-Graham Travel Award; John Byrne RSA: Selected Prints; William Littlejohn RSA: In New Light; Ronald Forbes RSA: The Everyman Variations, and a feature of our calendar, RSA New Contemporaries, now in its 14th year showcasing 57 graduates selected from their 2021 degree presentations.

     

    Since our last Annual Exhibition, we have been in the exciting position to elect four new members to the Academy. We are delighted to welcome Norman McBeath, Alberta Whittle, Jude Barber and Miranda Webster. Jock McFadyen and Henry Lydiate join our esteemed list of Honorary Academicians, eminent in the arts or distinguished in the promotion of art and architecture.

  • As an ever-evolving institution, our Standing Committee comprising of President Joyce Cairns PPRSA, Treasurer Robin Webster RSA and Secretary Robbie...

    John Black, They Are Buying Sweets and Juice for their Family. Yorkie and Lucozade

    As an ever-evolving institution, our Standing Committee comprising of President Joyce Cairns PPRSA, Treasurer Robin Webster RSA and Secretary Robbie Bushe RSA, whose guiding support enabled the Academy to continue exhibiting and, crucially, supporting artists and architects throughout the Covid restrictions, all demitted office in 2021/22. The Academy welcomed our new President Gareth Fisher RSA and Delia Baillie RSA as Treasurer. It was with great sadness that Delia passed away suddenly in March, the Academy losing a distinguished artist, fellow Member and our first woman Treasurer. We intend to mount an exhibition celebrating Delia’s work in the coming months in The Academicians’ Gallery.

     

    As an independently funded, self-financing charity, the RSA must continuously raise income to support our exhibition and awards programme through a wide range of activities including artwork sales, consultancy services, art rental, our RSA Friends group, corporate sponsorship, bequests and donations. This past year the RSA has received significant support from the estate of Dame Elizabeth Blackadder RSA RA and her husband John Houston RSA and the MacRobert Trust.

  • The RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest initiates a wide series of opportunities which will be presented on an annual basis, supporting...
    Judith Jones, In the Night Garden

    The RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest initiates a wide series of opportunities which will be presented on an annual basis, supporting new prizes, scholarships, bursaries, publications and travel awards for graduates and mid-career artists. The RSA MacRobert Art Award offers an annual award for mid-career painters to enable a period of research and development.

     

    Both these generous gifts to the Academy will enable us to continue to support artists across a range of ages and experiences with exhibitions, travel, research and publications. Hopefully all the artists benefitting from these new programmes of support will return to RSA Annual Exhibition in future years to present their exciting new work.

     

    Edward Summerton RSA, Secretary

    April 2023