Image: Royal Academy of Arts, London
The Royal Academy of Arts has said there is just over a fortnight left to see the Summer Exhibition 2026, which closes on 23 August. The annual show, described by the institution as an unmissable celebration of art and architecture, is on view at the Royal Academy in London from 16 June to 23 August 2026.
According to the Royal Academy’s notice, the exhibition brings together works by emerging voices and household names, including Royal Academicians. The presentation is part of the academy’s longstanding summer programme and is promoted as a place where visitors can encounter art and artists of different generations and reputations under one roof.
The current public reminder also highlights the exhibition’s visitor offer in its final weeks. The academy says the Summer Exhibition is open late on Fridays and Saturdays until 9pm, and that an in-gallery gin bar is available. A separate line in the mailing notes that the bar is open from Thursday through Sunday until 23 August and will serve refreshments including gin and sparkling wines.
Sales are also part of the exhibition’s structure. The academy says visitors can shop the Summer Exhibition online, with original pieces starting from £30, and that sales support both the exhibiting artists and the Royal Academy. The mailing also invites donations, framing the exhibition not only as a public display but as a channel for direct support.
Alongside the main exhibition, the academy’s notice points to related content and programming. One featured item is a video about Chloe Coggins and her work featuring Lenny, described in the mailing as an ex-racing greyhound. The academy says Coggins is behind one of the Summer Exhibition’s most popular works, though the notice does not expand further on the work itself.
The mailing also advertises other Royal Academy exhibitions and events, including 'Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam', which it says runs until 25 October 2026, and a 'Richard Dadd in focus' programme of talks, tours and events inspired by the institution’s exhibitions. It also lists a 'Shakespeare and art' weekend on 10 and 11 October 2026 and 'A coffee with Jennifer Higgie' on 5 September 2026, but these are presented as separate items rather than part of the Summer Exhibition itself.
The Summer Exhibition 2026 is taking place at the Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. The institution’s reminder leaves the main message unchanged: the exhibition remains open only until 23 August 2026.
