RBSA

Peter Shread RBSA & Colin Simmonds RBSA
2025-04-29 - 2025-05-10 | Gallery 2
Two Friends From Moseley School Of Art
Having first met at Moseley School of Art during the 1950s, Peter Shread and Colin Simmonds have remained close friends ever since.
This exhibition of paintings and original prints celebrates the friendship between the two artists, both of whom have been Members of the Society for well over 20 years.
Peter Shread is exhibiting a collection of paintings, woodcut and linocut prints. Through these works, Peter explores the decorative and topographical aspects of landscape to create strong, simplified, and bold images.
Colin Simmonds’ collection comprises paintings, mostly featuring landscapes, which act as the vehicle for exploring the full range of his painterly ideas and questions his emotional responses to atmosphere, colour, and composition.
The exhibition will be opened at the Private View by long time friend and supporter of both artists, Clive Beardsmore.
Private View: Saturday 3 May 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Exhibition closes: Saturday 10 May 5.00pm
Featured image: Colin Simmonds RBSA, September & Peter Shread RBSA, Elan Valley

RBSA Candidates Exhibition 2025
2025-04-10 - 2025-04-26 | Galleries 1 & 2
Every spring, the Gallery hosts the RBSA Candidates Exhibition, a show of work by artists hoping to be elected onto the first step of their journey on the Society Membership ladder.
Artists wishing to be elected as RBSA Associates have two options; being nominated by two full RBSA Members, or self-nomination. In both instances, artists must demonstrate an existing connection with the Gallery, indicating which RBSA exhibitions they have previously been selected for. To become a full Member, artists must have been an RBSA Associate for a minimum of three years before they can put themselves forward.
All candidates are required to submit six pieces of work, all of which must be representative of their current artistic practice, alongside an artists statement about their work.
As well as being open to the public, the RBSA Candidates Exhibition will also be viewed by visiting Members and Associates who will attend to take part in the ballot. To be successfully elected, all candidates must receive 50% +1 of the votes cast.
Existing Society Members are always on the look out for new talent to help in diversifying the Membership. Artists who are interested in joining the RBSA are encouraged to consider purchasing an RBSA Friends subscription.
Applications for the Candidates Exhibition 2026 will be open at the end of the year.
Exhibition closes: Saturday 26 April 5.00pm
Featured image: Clive Bryant, Radiance

Birmingham Easel Club - Showcase Exhibition
2025-03-25 - 2025-04-05 | Gallery 1
The Birmingham Easel Club was originally formed in 1879 by professional artist Edmund Watson, whose sketches for the Graphic Illustrations of Warwickshire are now stored in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Walter Langley, who established the Newlyn Art Colony, was also a founder member.
The Easel Club currently has 18 members, whose work is created using a range of techniques, including painting, drawing, collage, printmaking, and sculpture.
The group continues to meet monthly, during which they appraise each other’s work to encourage quality, consistency, and artistic development within the group.
The artistic merit of past members of the Easel Club is an inspiration to its contemporary members, and they aspire to uphold the high standards of the club’s illustrious and well-respected past members.
Exhibition closes: Saturday 5 April 5pm
Featured image: Terry Buckle PP, Frosty Morning

RBSA Photography Prize 2025
2025-02-27 - 2025-03-22 | Galleries 1 & 2
The RBSA Photography Prize 2025 invites artists creating work using photographic processes to enter work. This is the sixth RBSA Photography Prize exhibition to be held.
We welcome entries from professional and emerging artists based locally, nationally, and internationally. There are five prizes to be won, including £1,000 First Prize sponsored by The Galliard Apsley Partnership, £500 Second Prize sponsored by Judd Medical, £250 Anne Judd Award Third Prize, £250 Student Prize sponsored by an RBSA Member, and a 2026 RBSA Gallery Solo Show Prize selected by Vanley Burke. Up to six highly commended certificates will also be awarded.
Selection for the Photography Prize is by digital image of the original artwork only. All works entered go through the same anonymous selection process. The selection is based on the assessment of the quality and interest of each work.
The exhibition will be opened by renowned Birmingham based photographer, Vanley Burke at the Private View on Thursday 27 February from 6.00pm – 8.00pm.
This year’s exhibition was selected by:

Sebah Chaudhry – Trustee at the Royal Photographic Society
Nicholas Priest – Lecturer in Photography at Birmingham City University
Verity Milligan – Award-winning photographer

Since its first introduction in 2015, the biennial RBSA Photography Prize has grown significantly, attracting increased submissions with each exhibition held.
Expanded for the second time to fill both gallery spaces, the 2025 show is a celebration of artwork produced by both established and emerging photographers. This year’s exhibition is also the second to be held since the decision was made to admit photography into the Society in October 2022.
Exhibition ends: Saturday 22 March 5.00pm
Featured image: Cal Cole, Night Bus

RBSA Friends Exhibition 2025
2025-01-09 - 2025-02-08 | Galleries 1 & 2
RBSA Friends make up a significant part of the wider RBSA community and the Gallery hosts an exhibition of selected work by Friends annually. An ideal showcase for artists at all stages of their artistic careers, the exhibition is open to all active Friends working in any media.
A Friends subscription is the first step towards becoming an RBSA Associate, and the Gallery will be hosting numerous events throughout the exhibition for Friends to find out more about the Society and election process.
Having been in existence since the 1900s, the RBSA Friends scheme has led to a huge number of artists being inducted into the Membership. The scheme also offers a wide range of opportunities for artists and art lovers to participate in Society events as Gallery Stewards, members of installation and take down teams, and event organisers.
Anyone can sign up as an RBSA Friend; we welcome artists and art lovers as well as those who simply want to keep up to date with news from the Gallery. Full details of how to join can be found in our brochure or on our Friends page.
Private View: Thursday 9 January 6.00 – 8.00pm
How to Become an RBSA Associate: Sunday 12 January 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Artists’ Talks: Saturday 18 January and Saturday 1 February 2.00pm – 4.00pm
Exhibition closes: Saturday 8 February 5pm
Featured image: Agnieszka Lokaj, Robocik In Sunglasses

University of Birmingham - Remembering is Painful, Forgetting is Unbearable: Creative Responses to Terror
2025-02-11 - 2025-02-22 | Gallery 2
Remembering is Painful, Forgetting is Unbearable explores questions such as why do some terror attacks make international headlines while others remain in the shadows? How do survivors of terror attacks make sense of their experiences? Whose voices are marginalised in contemporary debates about terrorism? And crucially, what role does art play in the practices of remembering, bearing witness, confronting, and transforming trauma?
The title of this exhibition, inspired by the words of Anne Murris, a mother who lost her daughter in the 2016 Nice attack, captures the tension at its core; the ongoing struggle between the pain of memory and the unbearable void of forgetting.
Developed in collaboration with survivors of recent terror attacks in Europe, as well as international artists and researchers, this exhibition presents a critical, survivor-centred perspective on terrorism today. This collective attempt opens dialogues to challenge linear perspectives on the passing of time and the experience of victimhood, and creates counter-memories that resist sanitised histories.
Commissioned by University of Birmingham, funded by European Research Council.
Exhibition ends: Saturday 22 February 2025 5.00pm
Featured image: Katharina Karcher, Obstructed view of mural by Kollektiv ohne Namen, Frankfurt, 2020

Alan Reullier - The Art Of A Second Life
2025-03-25 - 2025-04-05 | Gallery 2
The Art Of A Second Life is the latest project from award-winning French artist, designer, and sculptor, Alan Reullier.
With an eclectic background as both graffiti artist and aircraft mechanic, Alan is known for sustainable art created from discarded industrial and natural materials. His aim is to add value by creating a bridge between industry and art, without distorting the medium, reﬂecting the values of the Arte Povera movement.
The Reullier-British Motor Heritage collaboration story
Twenty years ago, British Motor Heritage was gifted over one million original and microﬁlm engineers’ drawings from the early 1900s to the late 1970s, previously archived at The British Motor Museum. Because of their now fragile condition, British Motor Heritage have been digitising the drawings to preserve their contents, but they are unable to keep them.
Alan subsequently set about rescuing as many drawings as possible, and has been re-imaging them into artwork. By sympathetically working around the original designs and information, Alan is creating sustainable, vibrant, and unique works of art. This exhibition features the British Motor Heritage Collection along with some of Alan’s other sustainable artwork.
Private View: Thursday 27 March 5.30pm – 7.30pm, open to all
Exhibition closes: Saturday 5 April 5.00pm

Featured image: Alan Reullier, Modernism SWB Land Rover

RBSA Annual Exhibition 2024
2024-11-14 - 2025-01-04 | All Floors
The RBSA Membership is made up of almost 200 artists whose practices are rooted in a diverse range of media and techniques. Exploring both traditional and contemporary approaches, the RBSA’s Annual Exhibition showcases over 200 artworks, all of which are for sale.
The first Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Annual Exhibition (then the Society of Artists) was held in 1827 and, with the exception of 1940, 1941, and 2020, has taken place every year since. This will be the 24th Annual Exhibition held in our current Brook Street premises and the third since the refurbishment of the Gallery in 2022.
The artists exhibiting this year range in age and experience, and the Membership welcomes those who have followed an artistic education as well as those who are self taught. Indeed, some of the current Membership came to their artistic practice and to the RBSA following careers in industries not related to the arts.
Every two years, the RBSA Graduate Artist scheme encourages emerging young artists to join the Membership, and many of the class of 2023 have work in this show. Not only does this ensure the future of the Society and help to keep it relevant, it also adds further diversity to the scope of artistic practices within the RBSA Membership.
Exhibiting artists will be in the Gallery every Saturday throughout the exhibition to talk about their work, giving visitors a fascinating insight into their process. These talks also provide visiting artists with the opportunity to talk to current Members and discuss ways in which they can become part of the Society.
Private View: Thursday 14 November 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Artists’ Talk: Saturdays 23 and 30 November, 7 December 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Exhibition ends: Saturday 4 January 2025 5.00pm
Featured image: Jenny Ryrie RBSA, Winter Landscape

Greenwood Presents - For The Culture
2024-10-29 - 2024-11-09 | Gallery 2
For the Culture is an exhibition that features work from established and emerging artists that responded to the theme.
For Deborette Clarke and Janet Douglas, the curators behind Greenwood Presents, For the Culture embodies who they are and what they stand for; it is part of their DNA or roots of origin. The exhibition brings Deborette and Janet together and sets them apart. It can be a source of healing or a beacon of light.
Work exhibited includes paintings, photography, digital art, textiles, drawings, and jewellery.
Greenwood Presents look forward to welcoming you to their second exhibition at the RBSA Gallery.
Exhibition ends: Saturday 9 November 5.00pm
Featured image: Aaron Facey, Donatella

Shapeshifters - Shape Shift
2024-10-15 - 2024-10-27 | Gallery 1
Shape Shift is an exhibition to celebrate the sculpture of the Midlands’ leading sculpture group, the Shapeshifters.
Established in 1989, and working in Selly Oak and Dudley, the Shapeshifters has a diverse membership encompassing different levels of skill, from novice carvers to professional-level sculptors and makers. A variety of sculptural styles and media will be exhibited, including stone, wood, ceramic, and glass.
This exhibition presents a rare opportunity to view and buy high quality locally-made small sculptures. The group can also arrange for trial sessions for those interested to carve wood or stone at one of their venues.
Some of the sculptors represented will be available to talk about their work on both Saturdays of the exhibition and members of the group will also be stewarding at various times throughout the show.
Exhibition ends: Saturday 26 October 5.00pm
Featured image: Belinda Hutchings, Eagle Shaman; Stephen Foster, Coral Pool
Stephen Foster photograph courtesy of Simon Bruntnell.

Birmingham Art Circle - Annual Exhibition
2024-10-15 - 2024-10-27 | Gallery 2
Founded in 1879, the Birmingham Art Circle has strong links with the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, and many of its artists are also members of the RBSA.
The Birmingham Art Circle Annual Exhibition showcases a wide range of artworks by established practising artists, working in a range of media. The pieces exhibited include printworks, paintings, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, collage, photography, and textiles.
Visitors will be able to purchase works and meet many of the artists exhibiting as part of the show.
Meet the Artists: Throughout the exhibition
Exhibition ends: Saturday 26 October 5.00pm
Featured image: Philip Singleton ARBSA, Resin Cast Shoot 4

RBSA Prize
2024-09-03 - 2024-10-13 | Galleries 1 & 2
An open media exhibition of contemporary work.
The RBSA Prize Exhibition is a biennial celebration of creativity and innovation showcasing work in at the cutting edge of contemporary art. Welcoming work from both established and emerging artists from around the world, this all media exhibition includes artwork created using an exciting range of artforms and techniques and encourages contemporary practices.
The RBSA Prize provides a great platform for professional development and industry networking and artists selected for the exhibition have the chance to showcase their artwork to a large and diverse audience. There are also prizes to be awarded in recognition of exceptional work.
This year’s exhibition was selected by:
David Ferry PRE – President of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers
Yvonne Hindle – Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at Birmingham School of Art
Tabish Khan – Art critic, writer and speaker and trustee of City & Guilds London Art School and Discerning Eye
The following prizes will be awarded:
First prize £1000 sponsored by the GMC Trust
Second prize £500 The Anne Judd Award
Third prize £250 sponsored by Judd Medical
Student prize £250
Watercolour Prize £250 sponsored by the Watercolour Society
People’s Choice Prize
Up to six Highly Commended certificates will also be awarded
Private View: Tuesday 3 September 6.00pm – 8.00pm
Artists’ Talk: Saturday 14 September 2.00pm – 3.00pm with Ed Isaacs RBSA, Keith Turley RBSA, and Rose Jones and Saturday 5 October 2.00pm – 3.00pm with Elena Thomas RBSA, Jennifer Ng, and Jenny Mason-Gunning
Exhibition ends: Saturday 12 October 5.00pm
Featured image: Richard Baker, French Blue Chair

John Salt Hon. RBSA 1937 - 2021 - Paintings
2024-08-13 - 2024-08-26 | Gallery 1
This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see the remarkable work of the Birmingham born and trained artist John Salt in the UK.
After settling in the USA in 1967, Salt became one of the pioneers of the Photorealist movement. Fascinated by American cars as prime symbols of consumer culture, his exquisitely detailed paintings created with brush, air brush, and stencils examine the flip side of the American Dream.
Old Cadillacs and Pontiacs, relics of the 1960s, are parked up deserted side streets on the edge of town while images of shabby trailer homes on the margins of the Interstate represent life at the bottom of the social ladder. Bathed in bright sunlight, they are poignant reminders of the transitory glamour of the culture of built-in obsolescence, but also reveal the artist’s deep affection for the American urban and rural landscape.
In contrast, the show also includes examples of the artist’s early works from his student days in Birmingham which afford a unique insight into his development as a painter.
Exhibition ends: Sunday 25 August 4.00pm
Featured image: John Salt, Three Toned Trailer, 1975

Faces & Figures - Portraits from the RBSA Collection 1785 - 2023
2024-07-25 - 2024-08-26 | Gallery 2
This exhibition of selected works from the RBSA Collection looks at changing approaches to the representation of the face and figure over 200 years.
The exhibition offers some fascinating insights into the cultural life of Birmingham with fine drawings, paintings and sculpture from the Georgian period to the present. There is something for all tastes, including an exquisite watercolour Self-Portrait (1830) by F.T. Lines, and the first showing of a gift of portrait sketches by Edward Samuel Harper of fellow RBSA members – the men who dominated the visual arts in this city during the early 20th century.
In contrast are the expressive drawing, Stark Encounter (1940) by the surrealist Emmy Bridgwater, Jain McKay’s startling face and tattooed torso of Stuart and the Snake (2016), and the swirling kaleidoscope of Skateboarder (1991) by C. Anthony Sawbridge. Striking a more sombre and topical note is the patient’s eye view of the masked and gowned Surgeon Redeployed for Ambulance COVID Transfer (2021) by Andrew Shorthouse. Unmissable are the haunting Girl with Flowers (1950) by Gilbert Mason and the intense, award winning Self-Portrait (1937) by Robert Ball, a local child prodigy who was left to his own devices at Birmingham School of Art to develop his talent without tuition.
The sculpture section includes one of the treasures of the RBSA, the famous bust of the painter David Cox (1860) by Peter Hollins, who shows his sitter in the unlikely but conventional garb of a Roman toga, and the Art Deco inspired Head of a Man (1950) by “Birmingham’s Michaelangelo” William Bloye, whose statues, reliefs and pub signs adorn every corner of the city. The massive wooden Head (2000) by John Alexander Williams has the commanding presence of a totemic idol while, on a smaller scale, there is something serene and timeless in the female figures by John Bridgeman and Joan Woolard.
Private View: Thursday 25 July 6.00 – 8.00pm
Exhibition ends: Sunday 25 August 4.00pm
Featured image: Anthony Sawbridge, Skateboarder, 1991

RBSA Summer Show
2024-06-13 - 2024-07-21 | All Floors
Following in an RBSA tradition that dates back to 1814, the RBSA Summer Show is an open call exhibition that welcomes submissions from artists working in any media. However, unlike that first exhibition which was only open to artists from within a 30-mile radius of the city, today the RBSA receives entries from artists based all around the world.
Artists are given the opportunity to showcase their work in Birmingham’s foremost contemporary art gallery and, for those exhibiting at the RBSA Gallery for the first time, it can signify the beginning of their journey with one of the oldest art societies in the country.
The RBSA Summer Show takes place over all three floors of the Gallery, making it our largest open call exhibition of the year. With almost 250 artworks on display, the Summer Show is a celebration of a wide variety of media and techniques showcasing work by artists of enormous talent.
This year’s exhibition was selected by:

Simon Conolly RBSA
Ed Isaacs RBSA
John Scott Martin PPRBSA
Joan Sharma RBSA

Selection of work was based on quality and interest.
The exhibition was opened by Michael Harrison, the President of the Royal Society of British Artists.
The following prizes were awarded:

First prize £500
Second prize £250
Seven highly commended certificates

Prizes generously donated by Clive Beardsmore, Friend of the RBSA.
See our blog for details of the prize winners.
Private View: Wednesday 12 June 6.00 – 8.00pm
Artists’ Talk: Saturdays 15 and 22 July 2.00 – 3.00pm
Featured image: Colin Kerrigan, Poised

Nature and Nurture
2024-05-28 - 2024-06-09 | Gallery 1
This exhibition showcases work by the late sculptor Tom Millard RBSA and practising artist Melanie Keevil.
Tom gained his inspiration from the natural world in all its forms and changing seasons. His journey around the Southwest coastline, especially the juxtaposition and interplay between the land and sea particularly fascinated him. He was also inspired by the landscape of the Midlands, including the ever-changing beauty of the Malvern Hills and the decaying landscape of old kilns, locks and Victorian waterways. Tom was also a teacher of all ages and he met ceramicist Melanie Keevil when, as a young mum, she volunteered to help with groups of nursery children. Melanie’s sculpture and wall art is also inspired by urban and rural landscapes.
Tom and Melanie’s shared passions of nature and nurture, the human form, and its relationship to the natural world, which subsequently led to the first of their joint exhibitions in 2010. Two further collaborative exhibitions followed, with Tom and Melanie’s artistic relationship continuing through to the end of his life. Tom Millard was a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists for over 20 years and sadly passed away in November 2023.
Join us on Saturday 1 June when Melanie and Tom’s widow Cheryl, will be in the Gallery to speak about the work in the show.
Private View: Saturday 1 June 3.00 – 4.00pm
Featured image: Tom Millard, Sightings and Melanie Keevil, Barcelona

RBSA Portrait Prize
2024-05-07 - 2024-06-09 | Gallery 2
The art of portraiture dates back at least 5,000 years to ancient Egypt and, up until the invention of photography, was the only way to capture a person’s likeness. Throughout history, portraits have been used as a tool for demonstrating the sitter’s status and importance, as well as to assert dominance over subjects and enemies. However, portraiture and, in particular, self-portraiture, is not always representational but instead may employ abstraction or symbolism to reveal more than just the physical appearance of the subject.
The RBSA Portrait Prize exhibition gives artists working in any medium the opportunity to exhibit their work and win prizes. This year, the RBSA was delighted to extend the scope of the exhibition to include photography and digital artwork.
This year’s exhibition was selected by:

John Devane, RBSA Honorary Professor of Painting; Professor of Painting, Centre of Arts, Memories and Communications, Coventry University
Marta Kochanek, multi-award winning photography artist
Professor Jennifer Powell, Director of The Barber Institute of Fine Arts

The following prizes will be awarded:

First prize £1000 sponsored by GMC
Second prize £500 sponsored by Galliard Apsley Partnership
Third prize £250 sponsored by Judd Medical
Student prize £250 sponsored by RBSA Member
Up to six highly commended certificates will also be awarded

Private View: Tuesday 7 May 6.00 – 8.00pm
Artists’ Talk: Saturday 18 May 2.00 – 3.00pm
Featured image: Stephen Carse, Hoarding Issues

Enamel Matters
2024-05-07 - 2024-05-26 | Gallery 1
Enamel Matters is a showcase of work by members of the British Society of Enamellers. The exhibition seeks to promote and celebrate the work of BSE members who work in vitreous enamel.
A variety of both traditional and contemporary techniques are evident in both the jewellery and unique objects on display.
The British Society of Enamellers has a broad membership, encompassing different levels of expertise from enamel students to professional level enamellers.
The aim of the British Society of Enamellers is to promote the highest standards of contemporary design and workmanship in all aspects of this exciting medium.
Meet the Maker: Saturday 18 May from 1.30pm
Featured image: Charlotte Smith, In the Pink Brooch

RBSA Candidates Exhibition
2024-04-11 - 2024-04-28 | Galleries 1 & 2
As a member organisation, the RBSA is always seeking to induct new artists into the Society. To facilitate this, the Gallery hosts the RBSA Candidates Exhibition every April.
Artists can apply to become an RBSA Associate or, for those who have been an Associate for three or more years, there is the option to apply for full RBSA Membership.
On display are six works from each candidate, all representing their current artistic practice. Throughout the exhibition, existing Members and Associates will be voting on who they would like to see join the RBSA; the be successful, candidates must receive 50% +1 of the votes.
Representing the future of the RBSA Membership, the exhibition features both traditional and contemporary work resulting in an exciting and diverse show.
Candidate artists for Associate membership are:
ANDI
Guy Chapman
Adam De Ville
Jacqui Dodds
Paul Gittins
Nicholas Moore
Patrick O’Donohue
Lindsay Pritchard
Michael Pritchard
Gabriel Rivero Romano
Rita Rodner
Philip Singleton
Jonnie Turpie
Candidate artists for full Membership are:
Saranjit Birdi ARBSA
Kate Egawa ARBSA
Eric Gaskell ARBSA
Glenn Ibbitson ARBSA
Fred Jones ARBSA
Michael Riddle ARBSA
Elena Thomas ARBSA
Charles Weston ARBSA
Featured image: Candidates 2024

RBSA Print Prize
2024-02-29 - 2024-04-07 | Gallery 2
The RBSA Print Prize is a biennale exhibition, which celebrates all forms of print making and supports artists from across the UK and further afield. With a significant number of print works held in the RBSA Collection, print making is firmly intertwined with the history of the RBSA and many current Members and Associates work primarily in this media.
With both contemporary and traditional techniques and approaches on display, including screen printing, linocut, monoprint, etching, woodcut, lithography, and dry point, the exhibition is a wonderfully diverse show championing a medium that is often overshadowed by others.
This year’s exhibition was selected by:

Ros Ford – painter and printmaker, member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers, London, RWA Academician
Jenny Mason-Gunning – specialist printmaker at Ironbridge Printmakers
Laura J. Onions – lecturer in Fine Art at Wolverhampton School of Art, specialising in printmaking

The following prizes will be awarded:

First prize £1000 sponsored by GMC
Second prize £500 sponsored by GMC
Third prize £250 sponsored by Judd Medical
Student prize £250 donated by an RBSA Member
Editorial prize from Printmaking Today
Up to six highly commended certificates will also be awarded

Private View: Thursday 29 February 6.00 – 8.00pm
Artists’ Talk: Saturday 9 March 2.00 – 3.00pm
Featured image: Luke Reidy, Sunrise
Purchase your copy of the catalogue via our online shop.

Drawing on the RBSA Collection - Dry Media Works 1822-2022
2024-02-29 - 2024-04-07 | Gallery 1
Drawing with dry media is as old as mankind. Ochre and charcoal dust were blown through straws onto cave walls by the first artists. In more recent times, the dry media of pencil, pastel, and charcoal were favoured by travelling artists as ideal for drawing with minimum of fuss on site in sketchbooks or portfolios. Drawing was the means through which European artists recorded, prepared, studied, and imagined, and it was often a prelude to painting or engraving. Dry media were also central to art training and versatile both en plein air and in the studio.
Fine drawings are valued not just for their subtle qualities, but also or the insights they offer into the artist’s creative imagination. Works shown cover the whole range of expression from the bold and strident Hippopotamus Amphibius by David Walton RBSA, to the delicately drawn Dovecote in pastel by James Jelley RBSA.
The pencil has been used in the UK since the late 16th century when pure graphite deposits were discovered in Cumbria, corresponding with the establishment of paper mills in England able to satisfy the increasing demand from artists. Good examples of Victorian pencil drawing are seen in the exquisite landscapes of the Lines family who developed a trademark style of lively, accurate observational drawing. Pastels, made of coloured pigment bound with gum, give the artist the whole range of colours available to the watercolourist and oil painter. Two contrasting examples are the magical Wild Beauty of Clee by Claire Spencer RBSA, and the radiant, Vitalism 2 by Janette Summerfield RBSA.
Private View: Thursday 29 February 6.00 – 8.00pm
Artists in Conversation: Saturday 23 March 2.00 – 3.00pm
Featured image: Ann Wilkinson RBSA, Sliced Oranges c.1998

The Black Country 1970s - 90s: Photographs by Phil Loach
2024-02-13 - 2024-02-24 | Gallery 2
Phil Loach (1949-2023), was born in Dudley and studied art and photography at Stourbridge College of Art and Leicester Polytechnic.
He became a press cameraman and worked for three newspaper groups, holding the post of chief photographer at two of them. During his 50-year career, he photographed a wide range of people and occasions in the West Midlands and beyond.
In addition to his press work, Phil created a large private archive of documentary photographs. His personal pictures, represented in this exhibition, reflect an incisive view of places, situations, and events, particularly in his home region of the Black Country. They demonstrate a rare observational candour and Phil’s ability to see the unusual, and sometimes bizarre, aspects of everyday life within urban and industrial landscapes.
Private View: Tuesday 13 February 6.00 – 8.00pm
Featured image: Phil Loach, Canal Girls

RBSA Friends Exhibition 2024
2024-01-11 - 2024-02-10 | Galleries 1 & 2
The annual RBSA Friends Exhibition gives artists starting their membership journey with the RBSA the opportunity to exhibit work in the Gallery.
With the Friends scheme having been in existence since the 1900s, the RBSA was one of the first art societies to offer subscribers the opportunity to exhibit in a dedicated exhibition and the number of submissions has grown year on year. A significant number of Friends progress up the RBSA membership ladder to become Associates and, later, full Members, and many have also helped shape the future of the Society by becoming Council members.
The number of Friends currently stands at approximately 250 meaning that an enormously diverse range of artistic practices are represented in the exhibition. The work on display also demonstrates the wealth of talent within the Friends community.
Anyone can sign up as an RBSA Friend and we welcome artists and art lovers as well as those who simply want to keep up to date with news from the Gallery into the scheme. Full details of how to join can be found here.
This year’s exhibition will be held across both floors of the Gallery meaning that more works than ever before will be exhibited.
Private View: Thursday 11 January 6.00 – 8.00pm
Meet the Artists: Saturday 20 January 2.00 – 3.00pm
Featured image: Andrew McNeile Jones, There Were Times

RBSA Annual Exhibition 2023
2023-11-16 - 2024-01-06 | All Floors
Taking place over all three floors of the Gallery, the RBSA Annual Exhibition can be traced back throughout the 200 year history of the RBSA.
All Members and Associates of the Society are given the opportunity to exhibit which results in an enormously diverse exhibition celebrating the variety of artistic practices associated with the RBSA.
Artworks include paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, photography and many more, exploring a variety of contemporary and traditional approaches.
With over 150 pieces on display, there is plenty to see as well as artists’ talks throughout the show.
The fully illustrated catalogue of the exhibition is available from the Gallery Shop.
Open Day and Private View: Thursday 16 November 6.00 – 8.00pm
Meet the Artists’: Every Saturday throughout the exhibition
Featured image: Chris Tkacz RBSA, The Distance Between Blues
