Records of the annual dinner | Archives | RA Collection

Archive context

Royal Academy of Arts Archive
1. Royal Academy of Arts, official archive
  1. Records of the Secretary
    1. Records of the annual dinner

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Reference code

RAA/SEC/25

Title

Records of the annual dinner

Date

1780-1988

Level

Series

Extent & medium

Historical Background

The first annual dinner, to which the Royal Academy invites members of the royal family, distinguished public figures and notable patrons of the arts to celebrate the opening of the (summer) exhibition, was first held at Pall Mall in 1770. No annual dinner was held in 1896, 1901, 1915-1918, 1940-48 and 1952. Dinners at which invited guests could meet members, known as soirées, were held irregularly from the mid-nineteenth century.

Content Description

The series includes records of soirées.