Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2027

About this call

The Royal Academy of Arts in London calls the Summer Exhibition the world's largest open-submission exhibition. For 2027 the theme set by co-ordinator Helen Sear RA is Fascination: the committee would like to see what compels artists to make art and the magic that has inspired and sustained their practice. Entry opens on 5 January 2027 and is capped at 18,000 entries. Selection runs in two rounds: the committee shortlists up to 4,000 entries from digital images (results 24 February), shortlisted works are delivered to the Academy in April, and final results are announced on 29 April. The exhibition runs at the RA in London, United Kingdom, from 18 May to 15 August 2027.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Painting / Drawing / Printmaking / Photography / Sculpture / Video / Mixed Media
• Entry fee: £40
• Entry opens on 5 January 2027; you buy an entry form for one or two works (£40 per work, non-refundable) and must submit the artwork details and images by 23:59 GMT on 21 January 2027. Entries are capped at 18,000, and a second work cannot be added later. Works may be submitted by the artist, or by an authorised gallery, agent, representative or a deceased artist's estate. Inadmissible: works over 244 x 350 cm (sculpture and architecture models: no part over 200 cm on the longest side, no more than 3,000 kg packed), works already exhibited in a major London institution (prints excepted), works not recently made, printed reproductions, works with an object label or explanatory text, works containing toxic substances or dangerous electrical appliances (electrical works need a current PAT certificate), untreated textiles of animal origin, sculpture editions in materials different from the exhibited work, works promoting other works (such as a QR code), and works needing ongoing maintenance unless agreed in advance. Two-dimensional works must be framed (no metal or clip frames, no hanging fixtures on the reverse; unframed work is at your own risk). Works made partly or entirely with AI must be declared by adding 'AI' to the medium field. Images: TIFF, JPEG or PNG, up to 5 MB each; three images for three-dimensional works; audio-visual works upload a still and send the film as an H.264 .mov file. The sale price is stated on the entry form and cannot be changed after submission; the RA's commission (35% of the net price plus VAT) also applies to sales within twelve months after the exhibition that result from it. Shortlisted works must be delivered unpacked to the RA on set days from 6 to 9 April 2027 (works wrapped and sent by a commercial courier such as DHL or UPS are not accepted); the RA does not organise or pay for transport, and any taxes charged when a work is imported into the UK are paid by the artist (the RA may not be listed as the importer). Works not collected by the collection deadline are charged £15 per week each and are deemed abandoned after three months. Artists without a UK residence must register for a UK VAT number to sell work (only once shortlisted), and cannot offer works with a net value of £135 or less for sale.