Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy of Arts was founded through a personal act of King George III in 1768 on the petition of 36 architects and artists committed to displaying, teaching, and appreciating the arts. Today, it is home to Britain's oldest art academy, the RA Schools. Each year, the RA Schools offers 17 emerging artists placement in its immersive, three-year postgraduate curriculum. This competitive program has fostered some of the world's most famous creative individuals since 1769, including the renowned William Blake. Additionally, the Royal Academy of Arts hosts dynamic exhibitions displaying works ranging from the ancient to the contemporary and is home to an expansive collection of British art. Every year, the Summer Exhibition, the largest open-submission exhibition in the world, features emerging artists' works across all mediums. In 2018, the Academy unveiled the "New RA" in honor of its 250th anniversary. The New RA links the previously separated Piccadilly and Burlington Gardens galleries, creating an expanded campus with increased space for our galleries, exhibitions, classes, and collection.