Royal Scottish Academy

The Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) is the country’s national academy of art. It promotes contemporary Scottish art. The Academy was founded in 1826 by eleven artists meeting in Edinburgh. Originally named the Scottish Academy, it became the Royal Scottish Academy on being granted a royal charter in 1838. The RSA maintains a unique position in the country as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and architects to promote and support the creation, understanding, and enjoyment of visual arts through exhibitions and related educational events. History The Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Scotland (RI) was founded in 1819 with the aim of mounting exhibitions and promoting artistic appreciation in Scotland. The RI acquired artworks by contemporary Scottish artists as well as a number of Old Masters. A new building to house the exhibitions, the Royal Institution designed by the noted Scottish architect William Henry Playfair, was erected in Edinburgh at the junction of The Mound and Princes Street. The RI shared the premises with other cultural organisations, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.