Royal Scottish Academy's nationwide 200th-birthday celebrations sound just marvellous
More than 100 galleries and other venues are to hold exhibitions to mark the RSA’s 200th birthday
In 1826, 11 painters, a sculptor and an architect met in the Stewart’s Rooms in Edinburgh to create a new Scottish Academy, which would, among other things, stage an annual exhibition, help “less fortunate artists”, and elect “eminent” members.
Twelve years later, their work won the recognition of Queen Victoria, who granted the academy its royal charter, and it became the Royal Scottish Academy that many know and love today.
Now it’s been announced that more than 100 galleries and other venues across Scotland are to host exhibitions to celebrate the RSA’s 200th anniversary in what is expected to be the largest celebration of its kind ever held in Scotland.
Sandy Wood, the RSA’s head of collections, said that ever since the beginning there had been an ambition “to connect Scotland and Scottish art, culture and architecture to the wider world”. And so, Wood added, “we had a real desire for our 200th anniversary to do something that reached out beyond the walls of the gallery...”
It sounds marvellous and, when their birthday comes, The Scotsman (established 1817) will be delighted to welcome the RSA to the 200 club.
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