Friends membership
Friends membership
Join the RA as a Friend to enjoy free and prioritised access to all exhibitions, preview days, extended hours and much more.
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Please note: advance booking is required for all visitors, including Friends, so we can deliver a safe and comfortable experience in the galleries.
Find out more about visiting during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
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Become a Friend
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Visit these exhibitions for free
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![David Hockney , No. 147 (detail)]()
David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020
23 May — 26 September 2021
Made in the spring of 2020, during a period of intense activity at his home in Normandy, David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020 charts the unfolding of spring, from beginning to end, and is a joyous celebration of the seasons.Please note: advance booking is required for all visitors, including Friends, so we can deliver a safe and comfortable experience in the galleries.
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![Summer Exhibition 2020]()
Summer Exhibition
22 September 2021 – 2 January 2022
Run without interruption since 1769 – yes, even in 2020 – the Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission art show. It brings together art in all mediums, from prints, paintings, film and photography to sculpture, architectural works and more by leading artists, Royal Academicians and household names as well as new and emerging talent.
Please note: advance booking is required for all visitors, including Friends, so we can deliver a safe and comfortable experience in the galleries.
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![Michael Armitage , The Paradise Edict (detail)]()
Michael Armitage: Paradise Edict
22 May – 19 September 2021
An exciting new force in painting, Michael Armitage draws from Titian, Goya, Manet and Gauguin to explore East African culture and folklore.
Please note: advance booking is required for all visitors, including Friends, so we can deliver a safe and comfortable experience in the galleries.
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![Summer Exhibition 2020]()
More reasons to join the RA
★ Enjoy priority access and preview days for all exhibitions, plus exclusive extended hours on the first Friday of every month.
★Bring a family member and up to four children under 16 to all exhibitions.
★ Relax in the Friends Lounge – a gilded, 18th-century room only available to Friends where tea, filter coffee, drinks and snacks will be available.
★ Delve deeper with RA magazine four times a year.
★ Receive regular e-newsletters with first access to online exhibition tours, in-depth documentaries and creative activities.
★ Treat yourself at the RA Shop with 10% off instore and online.**Some exclusions apply, see terms and conditions.
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By becoming a Friend of the RA, you’ll not only gain unlimited access to art online and in person, but crucially you’ll help ensure that the Royal Academy of Arts is here for you — and everyone — long into the future.
Like so many other arts organisations, we have been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis. However, unlike most of our peers, we do not receive revenue funding from the Government. We’re run by artists and funded by art-lovers and are incredibly fortunate to have a loyal community of Friends who have been our lifeblood during this time. In the face of all this uncertainty we’re relying on our supporters more than ever.
Your support will allow us to continue our work – from developing the next generation of practising artists in the RA Schools, to researching and caring for our Collection, and realising our world-class programme of exhibitions. Thank you.
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Thank you to our Friends: your help means we will remain a place where art is made, exhibited and debated for many more years to come.
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![Varnishing day port folio]()
Varnishing Day: A Moment in Time
Made exclusively for the Friends of the Royal Academy, Varnishing Day: A Moment in Time features the work of 100 Royal Academicians.
Conceived by Hughie O’Donoghue RA and David Mach RA, with the assistance of Ian Ritchie RA, this beautiful portfolio includes work from some of the heavyweights in British art – Tracey Emin RA, Grayson Perry RA, Yinka Shonibare RA and Farshid Moussavi RA.
The Portfolio is available exclusively to Friends and the only way to access it is by joining as a Friend of the RA.
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Give them a gift, and help the RA
All our gift memberships come in a beautiful, limited edition gift box designed by Rebecca Salter PRA.
Each pack has everything you’ll need to get started, including a welcome card with space to personalise your message, a membership card, welcome brochure explaining all the benefits, a handy what’s on guide for Friends and a limited edition postcard. Every membership supports the RA, thank you.
![Friends of the RA gift membership]()
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Got a question about Friends of the RA membership?
Read our frequently asked questions or drop us a line:
Email friends@royalacademy.org.uk
Phone 020 7300 8090
The Membership Office phone lines are open Monday to Saturday, between 10am – 5pm. The RA is operating with reduced staff during this period so our response times may be a little longer than normal.