RSA has been celebrating outstanding art and architecture from across Scotland and beyond since 1826
Scotland’s largest and longest-running contemporary art exhibition will open in Edinburgh this May as the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) celebrates its 200th anniversary.
The RSA annual exhibition, which takes place every year at its galleries on The Mound, is returning on May 9 and will run for five weeks.
To mark the institution’s bicentenary, the RSA will host a public “Big Birthday Party” on May 27 – exactly two centuries after the Academy was founded in 1826 – featuring creative activities alongside current Academicians.
This year’s exhibition is convened by Annie Cattrell RSA and assisted by Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie RSA.
Ms Cattrell’s curation will explore the theme In Time, while Mr Purdie has invited academy members to design an imagined, alternative RSA building as part of the showcase.
Hundreds of works from across Scotland and further afield, including work by Academicians, will be on display offering visitors an opportunity to discover and collect cotemporary pieces.
There are over 25 awards on offer totalling over £25,000, including three new awards for 2026 worth over £15,000.
Colin Greenslade, RSA Director said: “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.”
Historically, the exhibition has hosted major international loans, including bronzes by Rodin, works by Whistler, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester.
The exhibition runs until June 14 and admission is free.