Royal Academy Summer not Summer Exhibition includes works by Isaac Julien

For the first time in history, the Summer Exhibition will fall in winter. But at the RA, summer is a state of mind, not a time of year. Discover a myriad of works by household names and emerging artists inside our joyous festival of art.

252 years ago, a group of artists made it their mission to form an annual exhibition to support artists and architects, by showcasing art of the moment to the nation. The Summer Exhibition has run uninterrupted ever since: a backdrop to famous artistic rivalries of the past and now a fixture of the summer calendar for art seekers, year after year.

Main image and below: Isaac Julien RA,7 – THE LADY OF THE LAKE (LESSONS OF THE HOUR), 2020. framed gloss inkjet photograph mounted on aluminum. 154 x 207 cm.

Buy a ticket or an artwork and directly support artists and the RA

Income from the Summer Exhibition supports both the exhibiting artists and the not-for-profit work of the RA. That means by buying a ticket or an artwork, you are helping us to continue our mission to champion artists – from training the next generation for free in the RA Schools, to outreach work to teachers, children and local communities. As a charity without government funding, it is more important this year than ever.

This year’s exhibition includes new works by Tracey Emin, Rebecca Horn, Anselm Kiefer, Julian Schnabel, Gillian Wearing and Ai Weiwei.