Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2026; 16th June - 23rd August 2026; tickets £23.50–£25.50
The Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy is a must-see. Year after year, it has occupied a special place in the collective imagination as a reflection of all that is exciting and essential in British and international art and architecture right now.
You’ll encounter art and artists of all kinds – drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, architecture, film and digital art, made by members of the public, emerging artists and household names, including the Royal Academicians (and the occasional celebrity).
But as tennis is to Wimbledon or music is to Glastonbury, so the art is only half the picture at the RA. It’s about joining in, catching up, being present, bearing witness, getting together – no art expertise required.
For this year’s edition, the academy will be open late on Saturdays (as with regular Fridays, until 9 PM), and the in-gallery gin bar will be open Thursday through Sunday – meaning more time (and more ways) to be social with your nearest and dearest.
To share a moment at the Summer Exhibition is to not so much be a part of the story as to take a piece of it for yourself. You can buy many of the pieces you like the look of and take them home, and much of the art is affordable.
The Summer Exhibition is an unmissable summer celebration of art, and an enduring landmark of British life.
