Largest and longest-running exhibition of contemporary art in Scotland opens doors this May as Royal Scottish Academy celebrates 200 years.
The RSA Annual Exhibition is the highlight of the Royal Scottish Academy’s year-round exhibition programme and, in its 200th year, marks a significant milestone in the history of Scottish art and architecture.
A yearly barometer of creative practice since the Academy’s founding in 1826, the exhibition reflects the Royal Scottish Academy’s enduring commitment to supporting excellence in the visual arts. Running from Saturday 9th May – Sunday 14th June 2026, the RSA will also celebrate their bicentenary during the exhibition with a Big Birthday Party on Wednesday 27th May (11am – 3pm), inviting visitors to get involved in creative activities of all ages alongside Academicians. This celebration reflects the Academy’s long-standing commitment to supporting artists and fostering public access to contemporary art and architecture.
Presented in the magnificent William Henry Playfair-designed galleries in the heart of Edinburgh, and showcased on the RSA’s website in its entirety, the 200th RSA Annual Exhibition brings together a range of contemporary art and architecture from across Scotland and beyond, including work by Academicians. With hundreds of artworks on display, and many available to purchase at accessible prices, the exhibition offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to discover and collect contemporary work. The 200th RSA Annual Exhibition is kindly supported by LGT Wealth Management, with support for the exhibition catalogue from Culture & Business Scotland
Central to the exhibition are the RSA Open Exhibitions of Art and Architecture, which continue the Academy’s long-standing commitment to supporting artists and architects at all stages of their careers. Selected from online submissions, these open elements showcase a diverse range of contemporary creative practice and remain at the heart of the Annual Exhibition’s democratic spirit.
The exhibition will be seen by thousands of visitors, and there are over 25 awards on offer, totalling over £25,000, including three new awards for 2026 worth over £15,000: the RSA Jack Vettriano Award, the RSA David McClure Centenary Travel Award and the RSA Changing Ideas Award.
Since its inception nearly 200 years ago, the RSA Annual Exhibition has offered audiences a unique opportunity to engage with and collect contemporary art. The RSA is a proud partner of the Own Art scheme, enabling visitors to purchase artworks through 10 monthly interest-free instalments.
This year’s Exhibition Convenor is Annie Cattrell RSA, assisted by Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie RSA. Together, they present an exhibition that reflects on beginnings, transformation and the passage of time.
Marking both the Academy’s bicentenary year and the tricentenary of the birth of James Hutton (1726–1797), the ‘father of modern geology’, Cattrell’s curatorial theme, In-Time, reflects on philosophical and physical foundations, drawing connections between geology, deep time and the layered history of the RSA itself, which is built upon Edinburgh’s ancient volcanic rock. Martin Creed, James Geurts, Cathie Pilkington and Stephen Skrynka have been invited to contribute works exploring ideas of geology and temporal change.
Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie RSA presents two thematic strands: Beginning(s) and Unbuilt. Beginning(s) invites architect Academicians to imagine alternative designs for an RSA building, while Unbuilt highlights unrealised architectural projects selected from Open submission. Previous RSA Metzstein Discourse speakers have also been invited to respond to the concept of beginnings, referencing the initial stages and concepts of a project.
Colin Greenslade, RSA Director, says:
‘With its origins in the late Georgian period, shortly after the emergence of the Scottish Enlightenment, the Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture stands strong in its continued support for contemporary practice. That said, a 200th birthday is not something to be undertaken lightly and the jubilation we feel on reaching this milestone cannot be underestimated.
‘From that very first show in 1826, the RSA Annual Exhibition has enjoyed a long and distinguished history, stretching back across the years in a continuous line of annual incarnations. Led each year by the Academy’s membership, it has supported a vast number of Scottish artists and architects throughout its history, while also welcoming those from further afield.
‘Across its history, the Annual Exhibition has also seen major loans and coups. A number of works were lent to the RSA by the President of France, Napoleon III, in the 1850s. In 1904, the Annual Exhibition included 54 works by James Abbott McNeill Whistler HRSA lent by private collectors, to form the largest Memorial Tribute ever accorded to any of our members. In 1911, the Annual Exhibition showcased 6 bronzes by Rodin, lent from private collections, and in 1915, a further 17 were lent by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) and Kelvingrove. In the early 1980s, the Annual Exhibition showed Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester (c.?1506 – c.?1508 and c.?1510 – c.?1512), a collection of writings by the artist. These were lent by the Armand Hammer (HRSA) Collection, as part of Edinburgh International Festival.’
‘An opportunity of this magnitude is a highlight in our exhibiting calendar and continues to showcase the talent and vitality of Scotland’s art and architectural practice today. Fresh, innovative, and with something for everyone, the exhibition remains true to the Academy’s original aim: to uphold the highest standards of contemporary Scottish art and architecture. A contemporary Academy must always be looking forward, so here’s to the next 200 years.’
RSA Annual Exhibition, 9th May – 14th June 2026, RSA Galleries, Royal Scottish Academy
Big Birthday Party: Wednesday 27th May, 11AM – 3PM
About
Founded in 1826, the Royal Scottish Academy supports art and architecture in Scotland. It is an independent, non-governmental institution, governed by Members to operate on a charitable basis. The RSA run a year-round programme of exhibitions, artist opportunities and events from the Mound, Edinburgh, and care for a nationally recognised collection. The RSA support artists and architects through awards, residencies, scholarships and bursaries.
In 2026 the RSA is celebrating its 200th anniversary. It is marking this occasion nationwide with RSA200: Celebrating Together. This partnership project will bring hundreds of artists, partners, galleries and institutions together for an extraordinary year of exhibitions, events and performances. @royal_scottish_academy
