About Us
Welcome to Mall Galleries | Home of the Federation of British Artists
We empower artists through a not-for-profit programme of exhibitions and events, prizes and awards, with a focus on figurative art.
Located on The Mall in central London, between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, Mall Galleries offers three contemporary galleries, a cafe and shop, and is home to a unique artist-led charity.
Leader in contemporary figurative art
Mall Galleries is the home of the Federation of British Artists (FBA), a visual arts charity founded in 1961. The Federation is a collective of nine leading art societies, eight of which stage annual open exhibitions at Mall Galleries. The ninth is the Hesketh Hubbard Art Society, London's largest life drawing group.
Each of the societies has a unique character or specialism within the field of contemporary figurative art:
Royal Society of British Artists
Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
Royal Institute of Oil Painters
New English Art Club
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
Pastel Society
Hesketh Hubbard Art Society
Royal Society of Marine Artists
Society of Wildlife Artists
Led by artists
The Federation of British Artists is governed by a Board of Trustees, made up of artists from the societies. To quote Arts Review, the FBA is “run by artists ... it is a viable ‘co-operative of the arts’” (18 December 1971). Currently there are over 500 artists within the Federation.
The FBA is fundamentally different from commercial art galleries and those supported by the government, as the charity is entirely self-funded and commits any surplus to furthering its charitable mission.
For all
The FBA open exhibitions allow for lesser known, but talented artists of any background, to exhibit work alongside more established artists in London’s West End. Annually their exhibitions empower artists through over £500,000 of sales, plus more than £100,000 of prizes and awards to reward and encourage talent.
The art society exhibitions form the core of the gallery’s wider programme. In an average year, this includes more than 25 exhibitions, over 100 events, plus several bursaries, residencies and scholarships.
To all, welcome!
Who we are
Mall Galleries
Mall Galleries is a contemporary art gallery on The Mall, London SW1, focusing on figurative art. The gallery is home to the Federation of British Artists (FBA).
Federation of British Artists
The Federation of British Artists is a registered charity and collective of nine national art societies. Eight of the societies host an annual open exhibition at Mall Galleries, the ninth is London’s largest drawing group.
Our Story
The FBA was founded in 1961 and opened Mall Galleries in 1971. However, really, the story begins in 1823…
Societies of the Federation
Today, each society is regarded as a highly significant flagship for the art forms they champion. Let’s raise our glasses, brushes and palettes to the societies and the Federation of British Artists.
