Monday, January 05, 2026

Call for Entries: The RA Summer Exhibition 2026

This is for all artists interested in submitting their art to this year's Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts.

The entry opens this Wednesday and the number of entries is limited!

First, a preamble before we get on the details of the Call for Entries.

I've always been quite ambivalent about the Summer Exhibition held by the Royal Academy of Arts each year. Which has not stopped me analysing and writing a LOT about it. See the end of this post for links to past exhibitions - and some very useful information for would-be exhibitors.

I think it is a very worthy cause, insofar as receipts help fund the free art education provided to students at the RA Schools.

On the one hand, I think it includes quite a lot of utter rubbish. 

However, it also includes art with incredible impact that you might not otherwise see - and that's not just by the member RAs.

However it is ABSOLUTELY HUGE and I now find it to be exhausting. 

  • Probably my age (I'm now 71 and have osteoarthritis) to some extent, 
  • but also something to do with the numbers visiting, the noise and the lack of seats in what is a VERY large exhibition (well over 1,000 artworks - some of which are large). 
  • In the end it becomes a complete sensory overload. I'm pleased to say I can cope with other smaller exhibitions very much better - so not just me being older!

Of late I've stopped visiting - but I do watch the videos AND I do look at the online exhibition!

Partly because I refuse to subscribe to the RA any more - which I did for years and years and years - because frankly I don't find the annual subscription cost (currently £148) in the context of what's on offer to be persuasive any more. 

That and the fact they took away the Chesterfields in the Friends Room. After a long visit viewing art you want a comfy seat - and Fortnum & Masons over the road now fulfils that need at a much reduced cost!


Call for Entries

Entry opens for the 2026 exhibition on Wednesday 7th January 2026. 

Hence why I'm writing this now - as you will see if you read on.

The overall process - from beginning to end - is MUCH MORE COMPLICATED than anything else you apply for so you need to get it right.

The RA have been doing this for a long time and have LOTS of information for you - and you do need to read it. 

Who can enter

  • ONLY the person who made the artwork
  • or You are expressly authorised as a gallery, agent or other representative to submit the Work(s) on behalf of the Artist

What you need to do to enter is

  1. Create an account with the RA - you will need to register to enter
  2. Pay your entry fee - which is £40 per artwork and you can enter a maximum of two. Entry fees are non-refundable.
  3. Complete you entry by the deadline of Wednesday 11th February. This means you:
and Exhibition Schedule (which provides you with the list of all relevant dates)
and Frequently Asked Questions

All pretty normal in relation to digital responses to a digital call for entries
However......

Applications

This year entry is limited to the first 18,000 submissions. 
You will NOT BE ABLE TO purchase an entry form once that limit has been reached 
i.e. 18,000 got there before you.

In effect this means the deadline for entries is not as stated, the ACTUAL DEADLINE for entries is when all the forms for 18,000 entries have been purchased!

What you can enter

Submissions are welcome in any form and medium - however......

The short version....
  • It must be in a condition to withstand the normal rigours of handling and display at the RA.
  • You must own the title to all aspects of the artwork (i.e. you own the copyright and there won't be any copyright issues)
AND - Work is INADMISSABLE if it:

  • is over the specified size limit of 244 x 350cm
  • has already been exhibited in a major institution in London (excluding prints);
  • has not been made recently i.e. is not contemporary
  • is a printed reproductions of original works (please refer to the FAQs);
  • contains noxious or toxic substances, has flammability below 50°C, contains human tissue, or incorporates dangerous electrical appliances. (special conditions)
  • comprises textile elements of animal origin (special conditions)
  • is cast in materials that are different to the materials of the exhibited artwork
  • contains a method of promoting other works (whether by the same or a different artist), such as a QR code

RA Summer Exhibition 2026 Theme: Interconnectedness

The 2026 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition’s theme is Interconnectedness. It will aim to explore ideas of entanglement, as well as the unexpected and fortuitous connections and associations between disparate things, no matter how abstract or illogical. Proof that, as humans, our outputs hold more commonality than separation, without us intentionally seeking it.

The committee this year are keen to receive applications from those in art schools.

What happens next - Digital Selection


This is where 18,000 becomes 4,000
The Summer Exhibition Committee will then shortlist up to 4,000 entries to be delivered to the Academy for the final round of selection.
Digital Judging results are announced Wednesday 18th March

Send your artwork for judging in person

If you are successful and are shortlisted in the first round of judging (personally I'd call it "long listed" as there is nothing short about 4k artworks!), you will receive an entry pack containing labels and barcodes to affix to it/them.

These are the delivery dates for different categories of "shortlisted" artwork. They start with 3D and progress to 2D.
  • Architecture Tuesday 5th May, 8am–4pm
  • Sculpture Wednesday 6th May, 8am–4pm
  • Two-dimensional works Thursday 7th and Friday 8th May, 8am–4pm

Framing and Glazing


You MUST do the following re. a 2D artwork (drawing, fine art print, painting)
  • All two-dimensional Works submitted must be framed. 
    • The use of simple, neutral coloured frames is strongly encouraged. 
    • Frames must have no protrusions or hanging fixtures on the reverse.
    • Metal frames and clip frames are NOT ACCEPTABLE
  • In the event that You choose to submit an unframed Work, it will be strictly at Your own risk.

Results of second round


The final results of the judging by the Panel of Judges will be announced on Friday 29th May 
  • However, this just means you will make it to the floor of the exhibition. 
  • Work does get selected and not hung.
I'm guessing that the smaller the work, the better chance it had of being hung and the larger the work, the more likely it is that you might not get hung.

You got in!


Non-Members’ Varnishing Day Monday 8th June, times to be announced

The exhibition is held at Burlington House between 16 June - 23 August 2026

You didn't get in / didn't sell - and must COLLECT your artwork

Non-exhibited works 
  • Monday 8th June–Wednesday 24th June, 8am–4pm 
  • one Saturday only on 20th June, 9am–4pm
Exhibited works 
  • Wednesday 2nd September–Wednesday 23rd September, 8am–4pm 
  • one Saturday only on 19th September, 9am–4pm

SALES are what's different about the Summer Exhibition


The RA dodges all sorts of legal matters and tax if it acts only as the organisation which introduces the artist to a person who would like to buy your work.

VERY IMPORTANT: this is how it works in principle
  • You are the seller of your artwork;
  •  the RA introduces you to the buyer via the Summer Exhibition and receives a commission for providing the service. 
In detail, this is how it works
  • The buyer makes an offer to buy your artwork and pays a deposit to the RA in person, over the phone or via the RA website (if you’ve opted to sell your work online). 
  • All arrangements for the payment of the balance of the purchase price and collection or delivery of the artwork are made between you and the buyer
  • You MUST COMPLY with all aspects of data protection legislation re the buyer's details
  • Where the buyer is not present (i.e. is purchasing over the phone or online) 
    • the transaction is known as a Distance Sale 
    • additional rules and regulations apply 
    • (please refer to the Terms and Conditions of Entry into the Summer Exhibition for full details). 
  • When the sale of your artwork is complete, the deposit becomes the RA’s commission
and......
In accordance with anti-money laundering legislation, the RA (and You) may be required to make identification and screening checks on Purchasers. All sales are subject to satisfactory completion of these checks, which must be carried out before any Work is released to Purchasers. The RA shall have no liability for any delay caused to, or cancellation of, purchases where these checks cannot be completed satisfactorily.

 

Sales are also different for International Artists

VAT Information - International Artists a MUST READ FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS. It's not something to sort out later.
Artists without a UK residence are classified as NETPs (Non-Established Taxable Persons) and must register with HMRC (HM Revenue + Customs) for a UK VAT number before they can sell artworks in the Summer Exhibition.
If you are an international artist you must:
  • apply for a UK VAT registration number if your artwork is shortlisted
  • if you supplY the VAT no. by the deadline, then your artwork is for sale
  • if you do not Supply the VAT no. by the due date, then your artwork is marked up as "NOT FOR SALE"
THE LINK THE RA HAVE PROVIDED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS VAT Information - International Artists IS INCORRECT (I will be dropping them a line!)

HERE ARE THE BASICS
Who should register for VAT — VAT Notice 700/1 Updated 4 August 2025
VAT Notice 700/1: supplement Updated 4 August 2025
  • Since 1 December 2012, the standard UK registration threshold (currently £90,000) has not been available to non-established taxable persons (NETPs). 
  • If you’re an NETP, you must register for VAT if you make any taxable supplies in the UK.
  • The current distance selling threshold is £70,000. It’s based on sales made during a calendar year from 1 January to 31 December. This limit has not changed since it was introduced on 1 January 1993.
Bottom line a person not living in the UK must have a VAT No registered in the UK before they can sell artwork in the UK.

You also need to know everything about the import of art to the UK - otherwise your package will be stuck in Customs and not make it to Burlington House.

see my web page International Art Shipping: How to ship / export art to other countries in relation to completion of all relevant customs declaration forms, commodity codes, EORI codes etc. BUT NOTE I do not guarantee my page is up to date.

The Selectors


The Summer Exhibition Committee 2026 comprises the following Royal Academicians 
Click the links and you can access their websites and see what sort of artwork they produce. 
ALWAYS helpful to know!

Reviews of past Summer Exhibitions


These are my past posts about the Summer Exhibition.

2025:
2024:
2023:
2021 - which became a winter exhibition because of Covid!
2020: Another exhibition badly affected by Covid
2019
2018 (THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR)
2017:
2016:
2015:
2013:
2012:
2009:
2007:

Posted by Making A Mark on Monday, January 05, 2026
Categories , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

COMMENTS HAVE BEEN CLOSED AGAIN because of too much spam.
My blog posts are always posted to my Making A Mark Facebook Page and you can comment there if you wish.

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)