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| Royal Academy of Arts Schools | |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Academy of Arts Schools |
| Established | 1768 |
| Type | Art school |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Campus | Burlington House |
Royal Academy of Arts Schools is the historic atelier-based higher education institution associated with the Royal Academy of Arts in Burlington House, Mayfair, London. Founded by artists and patrons such as George III, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough and Sir William Chambers, the Schools have played a prominent role alongside institutions like the Slade School of Fine Art, Central Saint Martins, Royal College of Art, and Goldsmiths, University of London in shaping British and international art practice. The Schools combine studio instruction, lectures, and exhibitions, maintaining ties to collections and academicians including Benjamin West, J. M. W. Turner, John Constable, Angelica Kauffman and later figures connected to the Turner Prize, the Venice Biennale, and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.
The foundation of the Schools in 1768 followed the formation of the Royal Academy of Arts by artists and architects such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, and Sir William Chambers with royal patronage from King George III, responding to models like the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture and the Accademia di San Luca. Early pedagogy emphasized life drawing, anatomy and perspective taught by academicians including Benjamin West and influenced by exhibitions at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and collections such as the Digby Wyatt holdings and neoclassical displays linked to Antonio Canova. Through the 19th century the Schools intersected with movements and figures like J. M. W. Turner, John Constable, William Blake, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and debates around institutions such as the British Institution and the Art Workers' Guild. Twentieth-century reforms engaged with modernists like Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Frank Auerbach, and administrators connected to events such as the Festival of Britain and exhibitions at the Tate Modern and Serpentine Gallery. Recent decades have seen curricular redevelopment aligned with contemporary practices exemplified by artists who have won the Turner Prize or exhibited at the Venice Biennale and collaborations with cultural bodies including the British Council, National Gallery, and Museum of Modern Art.
Governance historically rested with the Royal Academy of Arts Council comprised of elected academicians such as Sir Joshua Reynolds and later presidents like Sir Charles Eastlake, Sir Frederic Leighton, and David Hockney, with oversight from trustees and committees linked to institutions including the Heritage Lottery Fund and arts funders like the Arts Council England. Administrative structures align academic leadership—heads and deans—with boards responsible for finance, admissions, and curriculum, echoing models used by the Royal College of Art and the University of the Arts London. Institutional policy interacts with national frameworks such as quality assurance bodies and philanthropic entities like the Clore Duffield Foundation and trusts associated with names such as Paul Hamlyn and Calouste Gulbenkian.
Programmes historically emphasized discipline-based studios in painting, sculpture, and architecture with life-drawing rooted in methods promoted by academicians including Benjamin West and Francis Leggatt Chantrey. Contemporary offerings span postgraduate and diploma-level courses in painting, sculpture, printmaking, and digital practice, with modules intersecting with theory taught through seminars referencing thinkers and institutions like Walter Pater, John Ruskin, The Courtauld Institute of Art, and Birkbeck. Assessment frameworks mirror national and international accrediting practices observed at the Royal Institute of British Architects for architecture-adjacent study and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education model, while awarding arrangements have engaged with external examiners drawn from the Royal College of Art, Slade School of Fine Art, and overseas partners such as Yale School of Art and the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts.
Admissions historically prioritized ateliers and portfolio review, continuing practices of academy schools such as École des Beaux-Arts and modern counterparts like Slade School of Fine Art and Central Saint Martins; selection involves portfolios, interviews, and references from practitioners linked to names like Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. Student life combines access to studios in Burlington House, participation in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, and engagement with visiting lecturers and fellows from institutions such as the Tate Britain, V&A, British Museum, and galleries represented by curators from Whitechapel Gallery and Saatchi Gallery. Student organizations and societies organize critiques, workshops and exhibitions with connections to external residency programmes at places such as Delfina Foundation, Spike Island, and international exchanges with the Royal Danish Academy and Pratt Institute.
Located within Burlington House, facilities include life rooms, plaster casts formerly part of collections like the Woburn Abbey casts, print and photography studios, conservation studios linked to practices at the Courtauld Institute of Art and V&A Conservation Department, plus library resources comparable to the Walpole Library and archives interfacing with the Royal Academy Collections. The Schools benefit from proximity to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition galleries, lecture theatres, and the Academy's historic collection of drawings, prints, and plaster casts once associated with collectors such as Thomas Hackwood and donors including Sir Isaac Newton-era patrons and later benefactors like Samuel Courtauld.
Alumni and faculty connected with the Schools encompass a wide range of major figures: 18th- and 19th-century names like Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds, J. M. W. Turner, John Constable; 20th-century and contemporary artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread, Tracey Emin, Sarah Lucas, Cindy Sherman, Edouard Manet (visitor), and curators or critics affiliated with institutions like the Tate Modern and the British Council. Architects and sculptors who taught or studied here have also included figures associated with the Royal Institute of British Architects and exhibition networks such as the Venice Biennale and the Documenta exhibitions.
Partnerships extend to galleries and museums including the Tate Britain, Tate Modern, National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, and international partners like the Museum of Modern Art, Centre Pompidou, and Guggenheim Museum. Outreach initiatives work with cultural education programmes such as the Prince's Trust, the Arts Council England learning schemes, and collaborations with universities and conservatoires including University College London, King's College London, and Royal Holloway. Residency and exchange schemes link the Schools to fellowships at institutions like the Delfina Foundation, British School at Rome, and municipal programmes across cities such as New York City, Paris, Berlin, and Rome.
Category:Art schools in London