Marking its 200th anniversary in 2026, the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) celebrates two centuries of shaping Scotland’s cultural landscape with RSA200: Celebrating Together, a nationwide programme uniting museums, galleries and cultural partners in a shared tribute to the arts. At its home on The Mound in Edinburgh, highlights include the landmark 200th Annual Exhibition, major solo presentations by Joyce W. Cairns and Barbara Rae, and new voices showcased in the seventeenth edition of RSA New Contemporaries. Alongside bold new exhibitions, performances, talks and thoughtful rehangs from the Academy’s collection, the bicentenary offers a moment to reflect on the RSA’s past while connecting present and future generations through Scotland’s shared artistic heritage.

The 200th RSA Annual Exhibition | 9 May - 14 June 2026

Two hundred years on, this landmark exhibition, Scotland’s largest and longest-running showcase of contemporary art, reflects on its own rich history while presenting outstanding art and architecture in the heart of Edinburgh. Convened by Annie Cattrell RSA and Fergus Purdie RSA, the Annual Exhibition will delve into themes of time and geology, tracing the layered histories that shape both the nation and the Academy itself.

Joyce W. Cairns and Barbara Rae's Exhibitions:

Celebrated Scottish artists and Royal Scottish Academicians, Joyce W. Cairns and Dame Barbara Rae, are featured in the RSA’s 200th-anniversary programme in 2026. Cairns, the first female President of the Academy, will showcase a career-spanning retrospective, A Personal Odyssey (Aug–Sep 2026), while Rae’s Charting South (Nov 2026–Jan 2027) presents her striking works inspired by the explorer Ernest Shackleton.

RSA New Contemporaries 2026

The seventeenth edition of RSA New Contemporaries continues the RSA’s mission of championing knowledge and education in the visual arts by spotlighting emerging Scottish artists and architects. Taking place in the heart of Edinburgh, the 2026 exhibition brings together 64 graduates selected from the 2025 degree shows, offering a large-scale overview of the current landscape of contemporary Scottish art and architecture. Convened by Michael Visocchi RSA with support from fellow Academicians and Architecture Convenor Christopher Platt RSA, the show is proudly supported by the RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest, with Walter Scott as Exhibition Patron, The Skinny as Media Partner, and Glenfiddich providing drinks and major awards.