Annual Report 2013 Annual Report 2013 The Royal Academy of Arts is a unique organisation – one that remains true to its origins in 1768 as a place where art is made, exhibited and debated. Our mission is simple: to be a clear, strong voice for art and artists. We are an independent charity, led by eminent artists and architects – the Royal Academicians – and we do not receive revenue funding from government. We are entirely reliant upon funds from our activities, and on the support of sponsors, donors and our loyal Friends to continue our work. Your support is our future. This report covers the period 1 September 2012 – 31 August 2013. 2 Contents 04 President’s Foreword 06 Secretary and Chief Executive’s Introduction 08 Public engagement To inspire and engage a wider public 14 Academic engagement To engage scholars and nurture the artists of the future 20 Spaces To establish spaces fit for a 21st-century Academy 24 People To realise the full potential of our Members and staff 28 Finances To fulfil our objectives and safeguard our future 36 Appendices Visitors in Burlington House. Photo © Benedict Johnson ‘The contribution of the Academicians President’s to the life of the Royal Academy spans Foreword the organisation: from teaching to Christopher Le Brun PRA lectures, exhibitions to fundraising.’ President of the Royal Academy Wherever I have gone this year on behalf of the Handley CBE FBA, our Professor of Ancient Royal Academy, whether Tokyo, New York or Literature. I am delighted to welcome seven Hong Kong, I have been struck by the respect, new Royal Academicians: Ron Arad, Thomas curiosity and wonder that the RA inspires. Heatherwick, Chantal Joffe, Mike Nelson, Sean Respect – because of our history and illustrious Scully, Conrad Shawcross and Emma Stibbon. predecessors, curiosity for how the Academy We also elected Honorary Academicians renews and sustains itself, and wonder as to Marlene Dumas and Rosemarie Trockel. how we could possibly have survived, virtually alone amongst the historic academies, to be In the RA Schools, Piers Gough was appointed as vigorous if not more so, than when we were Professor of Architecture, while Mary Beard first established. was given the honorary post of Professor of Ancient Literature. She succeeds such celebrated Much of this is due to the Academicians, former holders of the post as Samuel Johnson. because this is an organisation where artists and architects lead. Together through Council and One of the year’s highlights was our presentation our delegated committees and assisted by of a gift of more than 100 works on paper to formidable and generous external advisers, they Her Majesty The Queen. This magnificent have overseen the Keeper’s House development addition to the Royal Collection was presented for the Friends – completing this major in November 2012 to mark the Diamond undertaking in all its complexity, on time and Jubilee, and received worldwide press and under budget. From teaching to lectures, television coverage. The Queen, as Patron of from exhibitions to fundraising, they have the Royal Academy, had previously been given the opportunity to make this part of the a portfolio of works to mark her Silver Jubilee in contemporary art world their own. Always 1977. It will be exhibited at The Queen’s Gallery, freethinking, artists and architects of this Buckingham Palace in November 2013. distinction bring energy, imagination and spirit to everything they do. I am grateful to all my fellow Academicians for their contributions to our current success. They This organisation inspires loyalty, love and in turn would I’m sure prefer me to devote my occasional exasperation, but I’d like to think deepest thanks to all those who have supported that under my Presidency, the warmth and us: our trustees, sponsors, philanthropists, human qualities of our home for the arts has Patrons, Friends of the RA, and also our become even more apparent. Therefore we feel wonderful staff, our students and our public, the loss of our Members keenly. We were who show their continuing interest in what we Christopher Le Brun PRA. saddened by the deaths of Dr John Bellany do on every day of the year. Photo © Steve White CBE RA, Ralph Brown RA, and Professor Eric 4 5 ‘Our bold ambitions to Secretary and Chief transform Burlington Executive’s Introduction Gardens are underway. Dr Charles Saumarez Smith CBE We are working in Secretary and Chief Executive exciting ways to reach new audiences…’ In February 2013, the Royal Academy devised This record of the past year’s work shows that a new Strategic Plan. The five-year plan builds we have already begun. Our bold ambitions to towards our 250th anniversary in 2018 and its transform Burlington Gardens are underway. five principal objectives outline what we want We are working in exciting ways to reach new to achieve by then: audiences – from innovative digital platforms to share our Collection and displays more widely, 1. To inspire and engage a wider public to mounting exhibitions across the globe, most recently in Singapore and Qatar. 2. To engage scholars and nurture the artists of the future Our work was recognised at the Walpole Awards, where the Royal Academy was granted 3. To establish spaces fit for the 2012 award for British Cultural Excellence. a 21st-century Academy The competition was steep, and included the Cultural Olympiad. It was an outstanding year, 4. To realise the full potential from the sell-out success of exhibitions such as of our Members and staff Bronze and Manet: Portraying Life to this year’s wonderful Summer Exhibition, which drew its 5. To fulfil our objectives and largest audience for five years. safeguard our future I would like to thank all the staff and supporters of the Royal Academy, and to thank especially the President, Christopher Le Brun, for his tireless promotion of the organisation. With everyone’s support, we will see the Academy virtually double in size in time for our 250th anniversary. It will allow us to do more things with more visitors, and realise our ambition to become the world’s foremost artist- led cultural institution. Dr Charles Saumarez Smith CBE. Photo © Benedict Johnson 6 7 ‘Getting to know how the Public engagement Academy works, as a newly To inspire and engage elected RA, one sees how a wider public broad its reach is. The exhibitions attract huge numbers of the public, but so too do the events programme, workshops, links with schools, The RA is committed access and outreach, and to reaching as large and much more.’ diverse an audience as Mali Morris RA, Chair of the Learning Committee possible. Our popular programme of exhibitions and events enable the public to experience some of the world’s greatest art and architecture. Visitors at the Summer Exhibition 2013. Photo © Richard Eaton 8 9 Public engagement ‘Bronze is miraculous. ‘The range and variety The metal, and the of Manet’s portraits are exhibition. … a revelation’ You can’t ask more of The Daily Telegraph a blockbuster.’ The Guardian ‘One of the most astonishing sculpture around the world. So popular was Manet Showing more of the Academy exhibitions ever mounted’ was how the that opening hours had to be extended Alongside its international exhibitions, New York Review of Books described the until midnight on the closing weekend. the RA is committed to putting more of Royal Academy exhibition, Bronze. its own usually hidden Collection on public display. Constable, Gainsborough The RA’s exhibitions are world-renowned. From Brooklyn to Mexico Turner and the Making of Landscape In 2012/13, they attracted over 1,000,000 North America took hold of The not only exemplified the contrasting visitors. Bronze was the year’s opening Sackler Wing of Galleries in 2013. achievements of these three great masters display and brought together 160 of the George Bellows 1882–1925: Modern of English landscape painting, but also world’s greatest bronzes, many classed American Life, supported by Edwards revealed the unexpected depth and quality as national treasures. The time span of Wildman and the Terra Foundation, of the RA’s historic print collection. The the works was immense, from the Nahal was the UK’s first retrospective of exhibition drew 87,000 visitors to what Mishmar hoard of 3700 BCE (discovered works by the American Realist painter. The Times called ‘a spectacular show of in Israel) to a 2012 wall sculpture by Anish On Twitter, Mark Gattis recommended natural beauty’. Displays on Sydney Lee Kapoor RA. Outstanding sculptures the exhibition, calling it ‘beguiling, RA and Hugh Casson PRA celebrated the Top: Visitors at the Summer Exhibition 2013. included a Hellenistic dancing satyr, a alarming, beautiful, violent, strange.’ life and work of two former Academicians, Photo © Benedict Johnson sixth-century Indian Buddha, human Bellows was fascinated by New York’s singling out Lee’s innovative printmaking Middle: Édouard Manet figures from Nigeria and Benin and a gritty urban landscape, its technological for reconsideration and paying homage to Boy Blowing Bubbles, 1867 Donatello Lamentation. As one visitor marvels and its diverse inhabitants. Casson’s skills as an architect, designer, Oil on canvas, 100.5 x 81.4 cm boasted on Twitter: ‘Christmas shopping His visceral subjects, from boxing watercolourist and impresario. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon. Exhibition – no thanks. Been to fabulous Bronze matches to lynchings, drew a powerful organised by the Royal exhibition.’ The exhibition featured response from viewers. One critic RA exhibitions also present the work of Academy of Arts, London with the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio. on BBC2’s The Culture Show and The compared him to Goya, and noted living artists. The Summer Exhibition drew Guardian, Independent, Mail on Sunday of the painter’s fight scenes that ‘even record crowds, while displays in Burlington Bottom: Installation view of 2012 Royal Academy and Sunday Telegraph all awarded it five Bellows’ energetically jabbing, stabbing Gardens included installations by Mariko exhibition, Bronze.