Exhibitions given by the Royal Scottish Academy

• Reference:GB 1716 RSA1/8

• Administrative / Biographical History

  Amongst the principal reasons for the founding of the Scottish Academy in May 1826 was to provide an opportunity for contemporary Scottish Artists to exhibit and sell their work. The Academy’s first Annual Exhibition was held in rented rooms at Waterloo Place in 1827, and has continued annually every year since, including unbroken through both the First and the Second World Wars. These were effectively ‘Open’ exhibitions, priority being given to members of the Academy, but open to a global-wide submission. The Open element was separated out as a discreet exhibition from the Annual from 2010-2018 inclusive. Catalogues survive every year since 1827. Prices were first printed in the catalogue of the 48th Annual in 1874 and have continued annually thereafter. The first to carry illustrations was the Centenary Exhibition of 1926, and in 1949 an unsuccessful trial with publisher John Menzies for what was intended to become an annual feature, the RSA Illustrated was launched, being a magazine comprising a selection of b&w plates of works featured in that year’s Annual Exhibition. Illustrations have been a regular feature since 1984. A 5% commission on all sales (catalogues as well as artworks) was introduced by General Assembly on 1919-01-22, with a Sales Agent being appointed to handle sales; a job previously undertaken by the Academy’s officers.

  During the 19th century a couple of special exhibitions were mounted in addition to the Annuals. These included; Works by William Etty and Scottish Academy Diploma Works (1831); the Collection of J F Lewis RA’s Watercolour Drawings after the Old Masters (held in the Academy’s rented premises at 33 Abercrombie Place in 1853); Works by Deceased and Living Scottish Artists (1863, and 1880); and Works in Watercolour and Sculptures by Living Artists (1885, and 1887). In the 20th century the number of exhibitions expanded considerably.

  In addition to the Annuals, a Festival Exhibition was mounted, immediately following the Annual and being largely a rehang of members’ works from the Annual, to coincide with Edinburgh International Festival. These commenced in 1954 and ran annually until 1981 with the exception of 1969, 1970, 1976 (RSA 150th Anniversary year) and 1977 (Queen’s Silver Anniversary year). These are not to be confused with the special EIF exhibitions mounted by the Academy in its galleries at The Mound which for the most part had their own publications. In 1926 the Academy’s centenary was recognised in the Annual Exhibition which was largely retrospective, although works by contemporary (and Scottish only) artists were also hung and were available for sale. Another commemorative exhibition was mounted in 1976 when a special 150th Anniversary Exhibition was staged in addition to the Annual and formed that year’s EIF contribution, whilst the 1910 Accord was celebrated in the 2017 exhibition Ages of Wonder Scotland’s Art 1540 to Now; the largest exhibition yet drawn from the Academy’s own Collections, Archives and Library. The Academy instigated a Students’ Exhibition in 1976 which ran, with decreasing support and success until 2008. It relied on students submitting works directly, It was replaced in 2009 by RSA New Contemporaries (RSA NC) where the exhibitors are pre-selected from final year students of the Scottish Art Colleges jointly by the Colleges’ and RSA Staff. Prizes in the form of cash awards and/or medals have been presented through the Annual/Open and Student/RSA NC exhibitions since the first of these, the Keith Prize, was first presented in 1854 (established 1851). A number of exhibitions have arisen as spin-offs from the various Awards given or administered by the RSA, and have included solo exhibitions by winners of the Alastair Salvesen Travel Scholarship to group Shows by recipients of the John Kinross Travel Scholarships