Young Artists' Summer Show
14 July - 4 August 2019
The Clore Learning Centre, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
Daily 10am – 6pm
Friday 10am – 10pm
Free, no booking required.
Friends of the RA go free
The RA is a living, breathing academy that supports artists young and old. Curated by Bob and Roberta Smith RA and taking its inspiration from the Summer Exhibition, this vibrant display showcases work by young artists from across the UK and beyond.
Since 1768 the Summer Exhibition has welcomed artists to submit their work. This year, the very first Young Artists’ Summer Show called on talented primary and secondary students across the UK to send us their artwork for a chance to have it displayed online and at the Royal Academy. We received more than 6200 artwork submissions from young artists aged 7 to 19.
Witness the vast array of talent at this extravaganza of drawing, painting, photography, sculpture and video works in the Clore Learning Centre this summer. With 139 artworks by 135 artists the first display at the Royal Academy of Arts is an unprecedented chance for you to encounter work by a diverse and talented group of promising young artists.
Daily 10am – 6pm
Friday 10am – 10pm
Free, no booking required.
Friends of the RA go free
Supporters
Made possible by
Robin Hambro
How did works get selected?
A panel of artists, RA curators, RA Schools students and teachers judged the artwork by key stage.
Works by primary school students (aged 7 to 11) were judged by artist duo Jane and Louise Wilson RA, Andria Zafarakou, 2018 Global Teacher Prize Winner and Molly Bretton, Head of Families, Access and Schools at the RA, and Rachel Jones, RA Schools student.
Works by secondary school students (aged 12 to 19) were judged by Mark Hampson, artist and Head of Fine Art Processes at the RA Schools, Agnieszka Szczotka and Richard Lockett, RA Schools students, and Bob and Roberta Smith RA.
Meet the curator
Bob and Roberta Smith RA
Bob and Roberta Smith is the pseudonym of the artist Patrick Brill. Born in London, he studied at the University of Reading (1981-1985) and Goldsmiths College (1991), going on to train as a sign painter in New York. He uses text to create colourful, political slogans on banners and placards that advocate the importance of creativity in education.
Highlights from the display
The Battle of the Heads,
A thrilling battle between two heads, not a normal battle, a humiliation battle. Who will lose, who will use the most lightning, who will win? Philip Guston's style inspired my work and I enjoyed creating it.
See more of the online artworks in the 2019 Young Artists' Summer Show
Spiral, cylindrica & fluted composition,
Inspiring, innovative and experimental: these are the first three words that come to mind when I think about my project, which has been an unbelievable journey. Starting out with the elegant French horn, I was able to focus directly on the cylindrical, technical and fluted components, which alone clearly paved the way to sculpture. After I created both paper and clay maquettes which allowed me to explore and accentuate
… 
Me and my sister,
This is a painting of the student's twin sister, Holly, and herself. In preparation for this piece, the student researched the work of artists who had made double portraits during the Renaissance.
See more of the online artworks in the 2019 Young Artists' Summer Show
Blue slime, pink poles,
Just a blue slime with pink poles.
See more of the online artworks in the 2019 Young Artists' Summer Show
The Click,
This artwork was made during a lesson, I was diddling with my fingers when I realised I could make art out of this. When I finished I realised it looked like someone clicking. I used shading and patterns to make it and it took an hour to make. I was very happy with how it turned out and I am happy to have the opportunity to be entered in this exhibition.
… 
Monster,
I focused on the monster called the Kraken. I wanted to show him rising up out of the water.
See more of the online artworks in the 2019 Young Artists' Summer Show
Duality,
My dad's friend is an artist and he inspired me to try and paint an abstract painting. I called it Duality as it has two sides, the light side and the dark side. I really enjoyed painting the background because I got to spread my mind wild.
See more of the online artworks in the 2019 Young Artists' Summer Show
Artificially Intelligent Artist,
It is the year 6301, this robot’s mission is to conquer all human artists, then destroy the human civilisation.
See more of the online artworks in the 2019 Young Artists' Summer Show
See all of the selected artworks online
From lobster robots to cats in space, the first ever Young Artists’ Summer Show is filled with inspiring artworks by talented young artists aged 7-19 from the UK and beyond. Selected by artists from over 6200 submissions, enjoy the 329 artworks in the online exhibition.