The annual exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts will run from the 16th June until the 23rd August 2026.
The Royal Academy of Arts has announced that acclaimed artist and Royal Academician Ryan Gander will co-ordinate the 258th Summer Exhibition in 2026, sponsored by Insight Investment.
In addition, it has been announced that The Summer Exhibition Committee members will be Royal Academicians Eileen Cooper, Michael Craig-Martin, Oona Grimes, Katherine
Jones, Goshka Macuga, Humphrey Ocean and Peter St John (Adam Caruso and Peter St John RA). The Committee will be chaired by the President of the Royal Academy, Rebecca Salter.
For the 2026 exhibition, Ryan Gander has chosen to explore the theme of
‘Interconnectedness’. He said “It will aim to explore ideas of entanglement, as well as the unexpectedand fortuitous connections and associations between disparate things, no matter how abstract or illogical. Proof that, as humans, our outputs hold more commonality than separation, without us intentionally seeking it.”
The Royal Academy will soon invite artists and architects to submit their work for a chance for it to feature in the exhibition (summer.royalacademy.org.uk).Submissions will open and entry forms will be available from Wednesday 7th January to Wednesday 11th February 2026 or sooner if the cap of 18,000 entries has been reached.
The majority of works will be for sale, offering visitors an opportunity to purchase
original work. Funds raised support the exhibiting artists, the postgraduate students studying in the RA Schools and the work of the Royal Academy.
To find out more visit: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/summer-exhibition-2026