The Great Spectacle: 250 years of the Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is renowned for its chaotic, non-hierarchical 'Salon Hang', glamorous visitors and flourishing emerging arts scene. It has been a fundamental part of the Royal Academy's history – running annually since 1769. For the first time in history, as part of the Royal Academy's 250th anniversary celebrations, the Summer Exhibition is accompanied by another show dedicated to its past and present.

Read our review of the Summer Exhibition here

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The Great Spectacle: 250 years of the Summer Exhibition traces the evolution of the show from its traditional beginnings to its current status as the world's biggest open submission art show attracting thousands of entrants each year. Over two and a half centuries, the annual display of contemporary art has filled the galleries with paintings, sculptures, drawings and architectural designs by some of the most famous artists including John Constable, J.M.W. Turner, Zaha Hadid and Tracey Emin.

This magnificent showcase highlights important moments in the history of the Academy and its Royal Academicians, from its original status as a showcase for grand society portraiture and history paintings to its current role as a platform for established, emerging and unknown artists.

A celebration of the history of art since the late eighteenth-century, The Great Spectacle is filled with artistic treasures from Reynolds and Gainsborough to Yinka Shonibare.