Royal Academy of Arts announces exhibition programme for 2026
The Royal Academy of Arts in London is preparing to unveil a stellar line-up of exhibitions in 2026, featuring world-renowned artists, long-overlooked masters, and the brightest contemporary talents. From large-scale retrospectives to open-call showcases, the RA’s upcoming programme celebrates the richness and diversity of artistic expression across centuries and continents.
Rose Wylie, Snowwhite (3) with Duster, 2018. Oil on canvas in two parts, 183.5 x 320 cm. Photo: Jo Moon Price. © Rose Wylie. Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner.
Rose Wylie: A Painter of the Contemporary Moment
One of Britain’s most distinctive and celebrated artists, Rose Wylie OBE RA, will take over the Main Galleries with her largest UK survey to date. Known for her bold, figurative paintings and character-driven narratives, Wylie draws on everything from art history and classical literature to celebrity culture and current affairs. Her work captures the spirit of modern life with energy and wit, offering visual reflections on events both grand and everyday—from the Blitz to football matches and gallery openings. This exhibition will feature some of her most iconic works alongside previously unseen and newly created pieces.
Date: 28 February – 19 April 2026.
Michaelina Wautier: A Rediscovered Visionary
In a landmark exhibition, the RA will present the first UK show dedicated to the 17th-century Brussels artist Michaelina Wautier. Overlooked for centuries, Wautier is now recognised as a significant figure of her time, producing ambitious history paintings, nuanced portraits, and striking allegories. This exhibition will highlight her range and skill, bringing together masterpieces such as the monumental Bacchanal and the recently rediscovered Five Senses. Organised in collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, it promises to reintroduce Wautier to a contemporary audience with the recognition her work has long deserved.
Date: 27 March – 21 June 2026.
Michaelina Wautier, Bacchanal, before 1659. Oil on canvas, 271.5 x 355.5. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Picture Gallery. Photo: © KHM-Museumsverband.
Summer Exhibition 2026
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition enters its 258th year as the world’s largest open submission contemporary art show. This eclectic and dynamic event features over 1,200 works spanning painting, sculpture, printmaking, architecture, film and photography. The exhibition provides a vital platform for both emerging and established artists, with the majority of works available for purchase. Proceeds support the RA Schools, making it not only a key cultural highlight, but also an important contributor to the future of British art education.
Date: 16 June – 23 August 2026.
Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam
This exhibition brings to light the life and work of Richard Dadd (1817–1886), the Victorian artist whose career was marked by both brilliance and personal tragedy. After a promising start, Dadd experienced severe mental illness and spent the last 42 years of his life in psychiatric institutions. Despite his circumstances, he produced fantastical, intricate works that reveal a deeply imaginative world. Featuring approximately 60 pieces, this exhibition is the first major retrospective of Dadd’s art in over 50 years and includes the iconic The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, which has inspired generations of artists, writers and musicians.
Date: 25 July – 25 October 2026.
Richard Dadd, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, 1855-64. Oil on canvas, 54 x 39.4 cm. Tate. Presented by Siegfried Sassoon in memory of his friend and fellow officer Julian Dadd, a great-nephew of the artist, and of his two brothers who gave their lives in the First World War 1963. Photo: Tate.
Painting the French Riviera
The Mediterranean coast of France has long captivated artists in search of light, colour, and inspiration. This major exhibition explores the allure of the French Riviera through the eyes of Monet, Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso, Renoir, and others. Featuring over 120 works, it traces how the region influenced the rise of modern art from the 1870s to the early 20th century. Alongside paintings and sculpture, the exhibition includes travel posters and film, offering a vivid journey through artistic innovation set against a backdrop of natural beauty.
Date: 2 October 2026 – 31 January 2027.
Raoul Dufy, Golfe Juan, 1927. Oil on canvas, mounted on board. Collection of the McNay Art Museum, Bequest of Marion Koogler McNay, 1950.38.
Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector
Before she became an icon of the international art world, Peggy Guggenheim made her mark in London with her first gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, which operated from 1938 to 1939. This exhibition revisits the bold and pioneering exhibitions held there, which introduced British audiences to surrealism and abstraction. It reunites key works and documents the gallery’s influence on the London art scene. Featured artists include Salvador Dalí, Barbara Hepworth, Vasily Kandinsky, Henry Moore, and many others. Organised in collaboration with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the exhibition will present a fascinating glimpse into the formation of one of the world’s great collectors.
Date: 21 November 2026 – 14 March 2027.
Vasily Kandinsky, Dominant Curve, 1936. Oil on canvas, 129.2 x 194.3 cm. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection.
Free exhibitions
RA Schools Show 2026: Held in June (dates to be confirmed), this exhibition features new work by postgraduate fine art students completing their studies at the RA Schools.
Young Artists’ Summer Show 2026: Taking place in July, this showcase presents works by UK-based young artists aged 4–18, selected by a panel of Royal Academicians and students.
Architecture Window (Until 29 November 2026): A curated series of small exhibitions highlighting emerging voices in architecture and design.
For more information on exhibitions, opening hours and ticketing, visit royalacademy.org.uk.
