Royal Society of British Artists
Founded in 1823...
and graced with the 'Royal' prefix in 1887, the RBA has remained one of the world’s premier art societies and has attracted world-renowned artists as members for more than 200 years.
The Royal Society of British Artists brings together the best painters, sculptors, and printmakers in their field and invites many young and emerging artists, but also established professionals to showcase their works alongside member artists at their annual exhibition at Mall Galleries.
The Society is well known for its many projects with young artists, which fulfils its charitable purpose and ensures the RBA is meaningful, exciting and progressive.
The RBA has a worldwide reputation for excellence - our members are amongst the finest artists in the UK and beyond. In our exhibitions we ensure that young and not so young artists, members and non-members, exhibit together and this interaction keeps us fresh and ensures our shows are eclectic and exciting. Quality is the key element.
President
Michael Harrison RBA was elected President in 2024. His small-scale paintings seek to capture and convey the space between seeing and the subject, heightening the viewer's imagination.
Vice President
Henry Jabbour PS RBA was elected as the RBA's Vice President in 2024. His brightly coloured paintings often capture intimate moments and connections between two figures.
Call for Entries
Artists are invited to submit work for exhibition alongside members of the Royal Society of British Artists at the RBA Annual Exhibition.
Several prizes and awards are available to win.
Prizes & Awards
The Huaicun Zhang Award
Winners
2024: Melissa Scott-Miller NEAC RBA RP
The de Laszlo Foundation Prize
Winners
2024: Zuzanna Salamon, And There It Was, Your Love, Embedded In A Thousand Words
2023: Imogen Hare, Hands in Honey
2022: Amit Vadher, The Cloth of Pride
2021: Emily Gillbanks, Three Things
2020: Charles Pickard, Chiara
2019: Yan Fu, Running Whippet
2018: Caroline Pool, Here I Am : Howard
2017: Anna Rubincam, Blindfold
2016: Paulina Pluta, Reclining Nude
2013: Maria Mari Murga, Men At Your Feet
2015: Tatyana Kulida Shelley, Weightless
2013: Maria Mari Murga, Men At Your Feet
Formerly The de Laszlo Award for Classical Draughtsmanship
Whistler Award
Winners
2024: Anthony Yates RBA
2022: Cheryl Culver RBA PPPS
2021: Annie Williams RBA
2020: Nick Tidnam PPRBA NEAC
2019: Ronald Morgan Sen RBA Hon Sen ROI
2018: Hilary Frew RBA
The Artist Magazine Award
Winners
2024: Hugo Grenville, Dreams and Reflections I
2023: Lewis Hazelwood-Horner RBA, Pineapple
2022: Mick Davies PRBA, The Crowd that Turns in Circles
2021: Meg Dutton VPRBA, Inside the Glasshouse
2020: John Martin RBA, Chinese Still Life
2019: Annie Boisseau RBA
2018: Sarah Butterfield, Cakes for Tea
2017: Anthony Yates RBA
2016: Nicola Slattery RBA
2015: Andrew Marr Hon. RBA
2014: Carole Griffin, Hanging Mirror
2013: Rowan Crew RBA, Blooming Green
The Dry Red Press Award
Winners
2024: Marie Lenclos, The Trees, August 23
2023: Henry Jabbour RBA PS, A Still Moment
2022: Martyn Baldwin RBA, Little Donna
2021: Margaret Foreman, Seaside Festival Tulips
2020: Bess Harding, Stolen Stem X
2019: Holly Gallant, Bobby
2018: Barbara Jackson, Make Way
2017: Nicola Slattery RBA, Songbirds
2016: Carole Griffin RBA, Narcissism
2015: Jacqueline Taber Hon. RBA, Christopher’s Tomatoes
Frinton Frames Award
Winners
2024: Lewis Hazelwood-Horner RBA, Hazy
2023: Sarah Spackman RBA ROI, Heatwave Allotment Plums
2022: Michael Grey-Jones RBA, Lunch on the Pier below Tate Modern
2021: Paula Mitchell, Solent Sparkle
2020: Nicholas Verrall RBA ROI, San Biagio Evening Light
2019: David Sawyer RBA, Campanile Sant'Ignazio all'Olivella, Palermo
2018: Benjamin Hope, St Paul's from Cannon Street, Afternoon
2017: Steven Outram RBA, Waiting for You
2016: Robert E. Wells RBA, The Swimming Lesson
2015: John Martin RBA, Breakfast Table
2014: Jeremy Galton RBA, Eggs
2013: Peter Brown Hon. RBA NEAC PS ROI RP, Midday’s Sun, Belmont, Bath
The Geoffrey Vivis Memorial Award
Winners
2024: Hun Adamoglu RBA, My Sister's Peristylium
2023: Deni Mansfield, Art Nouveau Vase with Wild Flowers
2022: Catherine Allison, Pug
2021: Joseph Dupre, A Miracle Called Horace
2020: Will Taylor RBA, Waterloo Sands
2019: Owain Hunt, The Painter's Dog Resting
2018: Jasmyn Fraser, Golden Age
2017: Charlie Pike, Self-portrait
2016: Rebecca Nipps, Charlie
2015: Tim Galton, The Green Bridge of Wales, Pembrokeshire
2014: Lois Sander, London Archway
2013: George Devlin RBA ROI, Seine Moorings, Port St Nicholas
The Gordon Hulson Memorial Prize
Winners
2024: Julie Saddi, A Lemon from my Garden
2023: Ann Dangerfield, Hillside Village
2022: Shaun Duke, Liz in White Shirt
2021: Paula Mitchell, Solent Sparkle
2020: Daisy Sims-Hilditch, Studio Contre-Jour
2019: Sarah Spackman, The Pear Between
2018: Max Mansbridge-West, Self Portrait
2017: Andrew Hitchcock, A Picture of Stillness
2016: Lucy Townsend, Contemplation
2015: Robert Floyd, Self Portrait Facing Artist’s Block
2014: Tim Goffe, Closing Petrol Station
2013: David Brammeld, Abandoned Factory – Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
Hahnemuhle Fine Art UK Award
Winners
2024: Nicola Wallis, Night Owl
2023: Chloe Barnes, Bike Ride
2022: Sian Tillot, In Bloom at Kew
2021: Samuel Owusu Achiaw, Citrus in Manibus
2020: Meg Dutton VPRBA, Sunset Mosques
2019: Brett Hudson, Dark Lines
2018: Jeremy Galton RBA, Michaelmas Daisies II
2017: Brian George RBA, Consumer Paradise, Eagle Centre, Derby
2016: Meg Dutton, Secret Garden
2015: Melvyn Petterson RBA NEAC, Clouds and Shadows
The John Lynn Commemorative Award for a Young Artist
Winners
2024: Stefan Whiting, New Year's Eve 2022
2023: Lewis Hazelwood-Horner RBA, The Stanley Arms
2022: Zuzanna Salamon, I Will Close My Eyes And Admit That This Is The End
2021: Owain Hunt, Man in Red Chair
The Michael Harding Awards
Winners
2024: Annie Boisseau RBA, After the Rain; Felicity Starr, Evening Song
2023: Natalia Glinoer, In the Artist's Studio; Steven Outram RBA, First and Last
2022: Richard Cook RBA, South Downs Landscape, Sun & Shadows
2021: Steven Outram RBA, Fire and Dust; Paul Slater, Sons of Borias
2020: Chris Aggs RBA, Apple Blossom; Anthony Yates RBA, Succulent Night
2019: Alan Lambirth RBA, Afternoon Tea; Benjamin Hope NEAC PS ARSMA, Southwark Bridge Road
2018: Renee Spierdijk, Striped Dress; Lee Madgwick RBA, Merry-Go-Canter
2017: Henry Jabbour, Peeling 2; Malcolm Ashman RBA ROI, Ghost
2016: Rowan Crew RBA, Morning Light; Sopio Chikhikvadze, Swimmer
2015: Charles Hardaker RBA NEAC, Reverie; Martin Leman RBA, Dungeness
2014: Christopher Hall RBA, The Old Bell, Warminster; Margaret Thomas RBA NEAC, Dying Daisies
Nathan David Award for Sculpture
Winners
2024: Carolyn Simpson RSMA, Mother Hen
2023: Katarina Crawford, Exhale
2022: Carolyn Simpson ARSMA, Rooster at Rest
2021: Lesley Hilling, The Soldier
2020: David Sprakes RBA, Tidal Stone
2019: Clive Duncan RBA, Vespasian's Game 2
2018: Teresa Hunyadi, My Pleasure
The Peter Kelly Commemorative Prize
Winners
2024: Carole Griffin RBA, Looking for Gold
2023: Ben Hughes, George Street, Bath
2022: Benjamin Hope NEAC PS ROI RP RSMA, Fog, Montpelier Vale and All Saints
2021: Mark McLaughlin, Flood and Ice, Belair Park, West Dulwich
2020: Stuart Robertson, Notre Dame de Paris
The Ronald Morgan Memorial Award
Winners
2024: Aelfred Hillman, The Prickle of the Rushes
2023: Sarah Harrold, Octavia
2022: Mark McLaughlin, Dulwich
2021: Roger Cromwell, Storm Passing
2020: Pauline Hazelwood, Sweeping Steps
The Stuart Southall Print Prize
Winners
2024: Nicola Wallis, Night Owl
2023: Martin Langford, And so on...
2022: Victoria Garland, Night, Trinity Churchyard
2021: Will Taylor RBA, Blackfriars
2020: Richenda Court, Behind the Human Ocean
2019: Martin Langford, Puppet Master
2018: Kirsten van Schreven, Airframe IV
The Surgeon's Prize
Winners
2024: Natalia Glinoer, iPad
2023: Sophie Cleave, Blurred Reality
2022: Rebecca Holton, Working on a Sunday
2021: Andrii Kateryniuk, Sunset in the Cypress Grove
2020: Tara Versey, Another Late Afternoon by the Old Wall
2019: Amber Li, The River
2018: Ruth Murray, Fish Market, 100 Smirrells Road
The Winsor & Newton Painting Award
Winners
2024: Yin Wang, Seeing Off Without Seeing I
2023: Simon Taylor, White Shelter, Llandudno
2022: Steve Evans Hon RBA PRBSA, Shaft
2021: Brian Hodgson, Lockdown 3
2020: Mark Fennell, The Diagnosis
2019: Henry Jabbour, Out of my Mouth to Heaven
2018: Timothy Gatenby, Dark Lanes
2017: Annie Boisseau, Landscape, Morning Light
2016: Charles Hardaker RBA NEAC, Still Life – White & Grey
2015: William Selby RBA NEAC ROI, Rose & Hipps
2014: Holly Brodie, Picking Up The Pieces
The President's Award
Winners
2024: Florence Cooper, Self Portrait with Violet
The Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award
Winners
2024: David Atkinson, Il Grande Cavallo 1482
2023: Marc Bodie, Highlights and Lowlifes
2019: Bernadett Timko, Study of Max
2018: Robert Truscott, Operation Gericht
