Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Top Tips

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is illuminating, bizarre, moving and often laugh-out-loud funny. No wonder it has special bragging rights. It screams London in the summer.

This flag ship show is where amateur and professional artists compete to exhibit and sell their art.  It is coordinated by a leading artist and equally celebrated committee.

As you go from room to room, you can detect the individual curator’s taste. Some rooms have a dark and gloomy vibe, while others are colour themed, industrial or cutesy. One gallery this year closely resembled a craft shop.

Prepare to be entertained by the significant proportion of odd exhibits. I have seen art school tutors laughing and debating the more “out there” creations…evidently too much even for them.

Here are my tips to get the most out of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

Gain Free entry to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

Consider becoming a Royal Academy member. Annual membership (£138 for 2 people and half price for the under 35s) will allow you to dip in and out of the Summer Exhibition on the day and visit multiple times free of charge. And if you have any spare energy on the day you can visit other exhibitions within the building without charge.

You’ll need at least two hours to see the RA Summer Exhibition properly

Go With An Open Mind

Expect to love, hate and be indifferent to many exhibits and that is all ok. Seek out the one or two exhibits in each room which “speak to you”. That way you will enjoy it more instead of feeling the need to generalise about the show as a whole.

Spot Exhibits by Royal Academicians

Interspersed with works by amateur and unknown artists you will see a few by Royal Academicians like Tracey Emin.

Look Up and Down

Not every painting has a prime spot some great pieces will be placed above and below eye level.

Make Use of the Royal Academy Member’s Room

The Summer Exhibition is an assault on the senses and you can tire quickly. There’s a Member’s Only room beside the entrance called the Keeper’s House. You can get alcoholic refreshments, teas and coffees, cakes, bowl salads and sandwiches in much nicer surroundings than the general café.

Google the Room Curator

The name of the curator who has chosen the art for each room is displayed on the wall by the room entrance. You can find out more about them with a quick internet search. There’s a good internet signal in the exhibition.

Use the Viewing Benches

There are backless benches in every room and these are usually placed at a good angle for viewing the art so it makes good use of them if you need a rest from walking or standing.

You can combine a trip to the Royal Academy with a DIY bus tour using the Number 9 bus which starts at Kensington Palace and terminates at Covent Garden.

Buy the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Catalogue

The catalogue for the RA Summer Exhibition shows the name of the artist the name of the work of art and the price of the piece. It costs £3.50 (2024) and is essential if you want to buy anything. Bring a pen so you can mark the title that you are interested in on the catalogue.

Use the Large Print Programme

Alternatively, there are several large print catalogues for the partially sighted which show essential information on the artist, art name and price. This is available in each room and needs to be returned to he stand before progressing to the next room.

Identify the Red Sold Stickers

You’ll see a red sticker on a piece when it is sold. If you see multiple stickers on a piece, it means that it is a limited edition work with more than one copy available.

If Buying Art, Visit Early in the Season

Many works are priced under £250 which make them a great buy for budding art collectors. Bear in mind that the cheaper exhibits tend to sell first.  If you want to buy, attend a ‘member’s only’ preview or go early on in the exhibition calendar. You can book your tickets on the Royal Academy website. Entrance is £22 – £24.50  per person.

Look for Art that May Work in Your Space

The purpose of art is never to merely adorn walls but when viewing look for a special piece that may fit in your home. Even if you don’t buy, it will give you purpose and you browse through hundreds of works.

Take Photos

There are no restrictions on photography at the RA Summer Exhibition. You can fill your social media feed with inspiring and colourful shots. Aim to provide a context for the day by photographing the exterior of the iconic Royal Academy building and take some general shots of the viewing galleries.

Gain Inspiration For Your Own Creations

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition provides fantastic inspiration for your own arts and crafts. Sometimes a piece is so intricate and created by such talented artists it would be impossible to recreate but equally there are many ideas in the show that are genius concepts but with simple execution.

Pace Your Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Viewing

There are approximately 9 key rooms in the RA Summer Exhibition with the smaller more interesting art pieces densely exhibited in the final rooms.

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition contains over 1700 works of art.

There is usually at least one fascinating large-scale installations in the final room. Most people have a tendency to take their time viewing the first three rooms and run out of energy when it comes to the later exhibits. You may even want to see the show in reverse order, by starting with the final rooms and work your way forwards.

Dress the Part

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is the place to see and be seen. Dress exotically and extravagantly…act as if you are a hip artist or muse, not a suburban spectator.

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