A six-meter-high installation made of ostrich feathers and steel chains by Alice Channer welcomes visitors to the 257th Summer Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts. The globally unique art show presents the entire spectrum of artistic forms of expression. As the largest open-submission art exhibition in the world, it showcases emerging talent as well as world-renowned artists. Each year a different member of the Royal Academy is responsible for organizing the Summer Exhibition. The rotation guarantees a varied program and different focuses over time. In 2025, it is the British architect Farhid Moussavi, RA (*1965), who was elected to the Royal Academy in 2015. In 2022, she received the Jane Drew Award for Architectural Innovation and Inclusion. Her concept dissolves the traditional boundary between architecture and fine art: For the first time, architecture will not be shown separately, but integrated into the overall exhibition space to encourage artistic exchange.
»The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025 will be dedicated to art’s capacity to forge dialogues and to afford us sensitivity towards societal concerns, such as ecology, survival and living together. These dialogues can be between people of different races, genders, or cultures; between humans, all species, and the planet; or across different disciplines – art, science, politics for example,« Moussavi explains her concept.
The exhibition will be on display in London from June 17 to August 17. Exhibiting members of the Royal Academy include Rana Begum, Frank Bowling, Grayson Perry, Lubaina Himid, Cornelia Parker, Veronica Ryan, Conrad Shawcross, Yinka Shonibare and Rose Wylie, as well as honorary members Marina Abramović, El Anatsui, Marlene Dumas, William Kentridge, Mimmo Paladino, Kiki Smith and Jenny Holzer. The latter is taking part in a Summer Exhibition for the first time. The art show has been held every year since 1769, so the first exhibition opened the year after the Royal Academy was founded by King George III. Most of the artworks on display are for sale.
