Royal West of England Academy

Upcoming events at Royal West of England Academy

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Early Years Easter Cosmos Special

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 11.00 Notice: We have rescheduled the session from Monday 13 April 2026, 9.30am-10.15am to Friday 17 April, 11am-11.45am. Friday 17 April 2026 11am - 11.45am £11 for one adult and one child Spark your child's confidence and creativity! Join us in the RWA Main Gallery for a joyful session of singing and games, specially designed for preschool children (0–5 years). Enjoy songs that echo beautifully through our exhibition, Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space, and experience the gallery together through music, movement, and play. Come along to sing, explore, and enjoy the exhibition with us! If you would like to book for more than one child, or for partners/grandparents, there is an additional charge: £2 per extra child or £11 per adult. Please email to arrange this add-on. What to Expect:Enjoy 45 minutes of interactive music, stories and games that nurture children. Maya sings and plays a mixture of pieces written especially for children as well as popular songs particularly suited to young listeners.

Mon 13 Apr09:30The Royal West of England Academy

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Happy SEN+D Families

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 0.00 Monday 13 April 2026 | 10am -12pm | Free Each Person requires their own ticket. Please book tickets for all family members. These sensory workshops for SEN+D families, are inspired by the exhibitions at the RWA gallery. We welcome families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities to come and explore and play with an experienced facilitator in a quiet, calm and welcoming space. It takes place in the RWA galleries and studio, exclusively for us,  on a day when it is closed to the general public. Join us for an art workshop with or without making an artwork. Children can decide whether they wish to explore feelings and ideas or just take pleasure in sounds, smells and sights at the time. We understand that some days it is just impossible to get everyone out of the house - rest assured you don't have to arrive at 10am, just come when you're ready. You can drop into the session at any time and stay for as long or as little as you and your child wish. On Arrival The RWA is closed to the general public on Mondays so you will need to ring the doorbell by our main door to enter. You will be greeted by a member of the team who will show you where to go next. Our Access Guide (PDF) containing information and photos of the RWA building can be downloaded in advance or viewed during your visit. Quiet Room Happy Families sessions are flexible to accommodate children with different needs but there...

Mon 13 Apr10:00The Royal West of England Academy

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Connect the Dots! - Constellation Card

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 3.00 This session has been cancelled due to low bookings. All booked participants will be contacted soon regarding refunds. Tuesday 14 April 2026, 10am-12pm Each Person requires their own ticket. Please book tickets for all family members. Light up your own constellation! In this hands-on activity, you’ll create a glowing star pattern using simple circuits, copper tape, and a spark of creativity. Inspired by Urania’s Mirror, you’ll build the kite-shaped asterism of Boötes—the part of the constellation that makes it instantly recognisable. Watch your stars shine, then take your constellation home and enjoy your own little piece of the night sky. Fun, creative, and for everyone. About our tutor Lucinda is the Education and Outreach Officer for the Royal Astronomical Society in London which is a professional academic organisation that advocates for astronomy, geophysics, and space science in the UK. She was the Executive Director of the Mars Society USA from 2009-2021 which works to prepare humans for living and working on Mars via two-week simulations at their habitats in Utah and the Arctic. She was the Chair of National Astronomy Week in the UK in 2020 when their focus was Mars Opposition.

Tue 14 Apr10:00The Royal West of England Academy

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Artist Portfolio Reviews with RWA Academicians

Vendor: 4702 Type: Events Price: 15.00 Artist Portfolio Reviews with RWA Academicians Friday 17 April 2026 Are you an artist who is looking for external feedback and advice on your current portfolio? Do you have a specific project, query, or aim that you would like to discuss with a professional working artist? The RWA is offering the opportunity to meet with one of our experienced Academicians, Ione Parkin RWA and Anna Gillespie RWA to facilitate 45 minute portfolio reviews at the RWA. Please choose your preferred facilitator and time slot below. If all of our spaces are sold out, please keep checking back on our RWA What's On page where we will be releasing more review opportunities throughout the year. What can you expect in our portfolio review sessions? A general introduction and agreement of aims for the meeting An opportunity to present your portfolio, project or query and discuss this. Feedback to support you developing the work discussed. An opportunity to discuss the feedback. A verbal summary of key points and suggested actions. How should you prepare? Organise the Portfolio:•    Select a cohesive set of works that best represent your skills and style.•    Arrange the pieces in a logical order, possibly thematically or chronologically. Prepare Explanations:•    Be ready to discuss the intention, inspiration, and process behind each piece.•    Think about any specific areas where feedback is needed. Research the Academician:•    Familiarise yourself with the...

Fri 17 AprThe Royal West of England Academy

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Cosmic Art: Family Drop-In Workshop

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 0.00 Friday 17 April 2026 | 10.30am - 12.30pm | Free No booking required. Suitable for all ages (children must be supervised by an adult). Come along to our free, drop-in family art workshop at the RWA Drawing School Studio, in collaboration with art-K Southville. The workshop is inspired by Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space. You will learn: Space Zentangle Watercolour techniques Space Watercolour pop-up These workshops are relaxed, friendly, and open to everyone. They’re a great way for families to spend time together and get creative. About art-K Southville: art-K offers art classes for children aged 6–18 and adults in studio settings across the UK. Classes run weekly after school and at weekends during term time, with daytime holiday workshops available during school holidays. The programme is fun and personalised, helping students develop core visual and technical art skills. It explores both 2D and 3D media, covering a wide range of materials and techniques, including acrylics, watercolours, inks, pastels, oil pastels, clay, papier mâché, and metal tooling. Alongside main projects, art-K also develops key skills such as visual memory, fine motor control, visual perception, and spatial awareness. Photo Credit: Ruby Turner

Fri 17 Apr10:30The Royal West of England Academy

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FRWA Trips and Visits: St Mary’s Kempley and Hellens Manor

Vendor: 4030 Type: Events Price: 50.00 - 65.00 (4 variants) Wednesday 22 April 2026 The Friends of the RWA are delighted to present a Spring day full of art and history at St Mary’s Kempley and Hellens Manor on the Gloucestershire-Herefordshire border. Full Costs Friends of the RWA:  £55 (£50 with Art Fund membership) Non-Friends :  £65 (£60 with Art Fund membership) If you can't see the option you need on this page, please email What's included? The cost includes coach travel, a tour of Hellens Manor, and lunch. Come with us to the church of St Mary’s Kempley with its original Norman doors and the oldest timber roof in England.  Most remarkably, it contains some of the best-preserved medieval wall paintings in Britain. Those in the chancel, from the early 12th century, are the most complete set of Romanesque frescoes in Europe.  The paintings showed the illiterate congregation Bible stories, the lives of the saints, and terrifying visions of demons and eternal damnation. From St Mary’s we go to Hellen's Manor: a living monument to much of England’s history. After lunch (included), there is a guided tour of the house. Hellen's offers a unique blend of architectural styles, from its 12th century foundations to later Tudor, Jacobean and Georgian additions, and a history of links with rulers and power brokers.

Wed 22 AprThe Royal West of England Academy

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Dances of Diaspora

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 0.00 - 5.00 (2 variants) Saturday 9 May 2026, 3pm-6.30pm FREE to anyone with an exhibition ticket* Dance, like music, is a universal language. It builds communities, transcends time, and holds history in our feet. Dances of Diaspora! is a project conceived by Diverse Artists Network to honour and showcase the many dance traditions we are proud to host in our city. Living archives of migration, resilience and cultural legacy. Bringing together a cross-section of diasporic cultures, Diverse Artists Network is collaborating with RWA to celebrate the Dance Out exhibition.  As the exhibition’s launch event, we will host an exciting afternoon of dynamic dance performances and participatory workshops, developed in partnership with dance charity Movema.Expect Colombian and Peruvian folk dance, Tibetan traditional dance, Jamaican junglist movement, Turkish finger cymbals, and the newly created 'Unity Dance' expressing solidarity across cultures.  Come and join the joy, power and connection of social and community dance! *This event is free with an exhibition ticket. Please book a space on this page so we know you can attend, and make sure to buy an exhibition ticket on the day. *Information on our ticket pricing can be found here. This event is part of DIASPORA! 26, a multi-venue, city-wide festival celebrating cultural diversity through the arts.

Sat 9 May18:30The Royal West of England Academy

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British Sign Language Gallery Tour

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 0.00 Saturday 6 June 2026, 1.30pm - 3.00pm Led by Emily Rose, from a Deaf perspective, this exhibition tour will be delivered in British Sign Language (BSL). The tour will explore Dance Out. Emily will bring the exhibition to life by selecting and exploring a variety of artworks. Her insights will guide you to see the exhibition in fresh and inspiring ways. Emily is a BSL tour guide, BSL consultant, creative workshop facilitator, and festival/event accessibility consultant. She is also a Deaf visual artist, exploring the vibrant world of mixed media Op Art. Previously, she led a family BSL workshop at the RWA. These sessions are free, but booking is advised.

Sat 6 Jun13:30The Royal West of England Academy

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Described Gallery Tour for Blind and Partially Sighted Adults

Vendor: 4026 - Learning & Participation Type: Events Price: 0.00 Saturday 11 July 2026 | 10.30am - 12pm | Free Join us for a described tour of the Dance Out. This tour is led by our experienced facilitator, Sarah Kelly, and will focus on a selection of artworks in the exhibition. The tour will conclude with refreshments and time for group discussion in the Youngwood Room. You are welcome to bring a companion and/or guide dog. These sessions are free. To reserve a place please email An introduction to the RWA is available in large print, with a clip-light. To learn more about accessibility at the RWA visit our Access Page here: https://www.rwa.org.uk/pages/access

Sat 11 Jul10:30The Royal West of England Academy

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Call for Artists: 173 Annual Open Exhibition

Vendor: Art Exhibitions Type: Events Price: 0.00 Taking place between 12 September 2026 - 3 January 2027, our Annual Exhibition features both emerging talent and established names, spanning painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, architecture, sculpture, and mixed-media installation - It represents some of the most exciting artists working across the UK and beyond today. Submissions for the 173 Annual Open are between Tuesday 7 April and Monday 22 June 2026. Further details, including FAQ's can be found at the bottom of this page. Click here to submit your work to the 173rd Annual Open Selection of works Selection is overseen by a panel of guest experts alongside RWA Academicians. This year, we are delighted to welcome: Sheryll Catto: As Artistic Director and CEO of ActionSpace, Sheryll has spent years dismantling the margins around learning-disabled artists Ceri Hand: is a creative coach, mentor, public speaker and business founder supporting thousands of creatives each year. Paul Hedge: Co-founder of Hales Gallery (London/New York), bringing over 30 years of international art world expertise. Representing the Academy are Hamish Young PRWA (President), Angela Lizon VPRWA (Vice President), and Academicians Katie Davies RWA and Sarah Gillespie RWA. Find out more about the selectors here. 173 Annual Open Prizes Thanks to our generous sponsors and supporters we offer a range of prizes for exhibiting artists in the Annual Open, this year prizes so far include the...

Tue 26 JanThe Royal West of England Academy

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173 Annual Open Exhibition

Vendor: Art Exhibitions Type: Events Price: 0.00 - 11.00 (2 variants) Taking place between 12 September 2026 - 3 January 2027, our Annual Exhibition showcases over 500 contemporary works within our historic galleries. Featuring both emerging talent and established names, spanning painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, architecture, sculpture, and mixed-media installation - It represents some of the most exciting artists working across the UK and beyond today. With a strong emphasis on supporting artists through sales, the exhibition attracts over 10,000 visitors annually. Last year alone, the show generated over £150,000 in sales of original works and prints. The exhibition also features programme of artist talks, guided tours, and preview events. 173 Open Call We will begin accepting submissions for the Annual Open Exhibition on Tuesday 7 April 2026. Artists can submit up to three works in various media, and the exhibition will run from 12 September 2026 - 3 January 2027. Click here for more information and how to submit your work 173 Annual Open Invited artist In addition to selected works, each year the RWA invites a contemporary artist to showcase their practice in recognition of their exceptional contribution to the arts. Mohammad Barrangi will present work as this year’s Invited Artist, following in the footsteps of previous invited artists such as Sir Frank Bowling OBE RA RWA (Hon), Charmaine Watkiss RWA, Maria Lalić RWA (Hon) and Rebecca Salter PRA RWA...

Tue 26 JanThe Royal West of England Academy

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Event details on Near Here are aggregated from third-party sources and may change. Always verify times, location, availability, and any price directly with the organiser before travelling. See Terms.