A brief history of the Summer Exhibition

When the Royal Academy of Arts was founded in 1768 one of its key objectives was to establish an annual exhibition, open to all artists of merit, which could be visited by the public. The first Summer Exhibition took place in 1769 and featured 136 works by 57 artists. Since then the exhibition has been held every year without exception. Today, around a thousand works are selected each year from as many as 12,000 entries representing some 5,000 artists. The exhibition includes paintings, prints, photography, drawings, sculpture, architectural designs and models.

• The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition is the largest annual open contemporary art exhibition in the world, drawing together a wide range of new works by established and unknown living artists.
  
  
• Some artists who have exhibited in the Summer Exhibition include Damien Hirst, Alexander McQueen, Julian Opie, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Jenny Saville, Tracey Emin, Marc Quinn, Sam Taylor Wood, Lucien Freud, Rachel Whiteread, Sarah Lucas & Chris Offili.
  
  
• With 1200 works displayed the final effect can be startling for visitors who are used to seeing art hung more sparsely. The majority of works are for sale with prices ranging from £50 - over £100,000.

Visit the Royal Academy of Arts website www.royalacademy.org.uk for more information about the Summer Exhibition and future exhibitions held at the Royal Academy of Arts.

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