Royal Society of Arts facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | RSA |
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| Established | 1754 |
| Founder | William Shipley |
| Founded at | London, England |
| Type | Registered charity |
| Legal status | Royal Charter Company |
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Professional title
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FRSA |
| Headquarters | 8 John Adam Street London, WC2N 6EZ |
| Fields | Arts and culture |
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Membership
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30,000+ fellows |
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Official language
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English |
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Chairman
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Tim Eyles |
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Chief executive
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Andy Haldane |
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Formerly called
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Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce |
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, usually called the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is an organization based in London. It was started in 1754.
The RSA's main goal, when it was founded, was to "encourage new ideas, improve science, make art better, help our factories, and grow our trade." They also wanted to help people out of poverty and make sure everyone could find work. Many famous people have been part of the RSA, like Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Hawking, Marie Curie, and Nelson Mandela. Today, the RSA has members, called 'Fellows', from over 80 countries around the world.
Contents
History of the RSA
The RSA was founded in 1754 by William Shipley. It was first called the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. In 1847, it received a special document called a Royal Charter. This allowed it to use the name "Royal" in 1908, thanks to King Edward VII. From 1914 onwards, members of the society became known as 'Fellows'.
In the 1800s, the RSA helped organize a huge event called The Great Exhibition. This was a big show of new industrial technology and designs from all over the world. Important people like Prince Albert and Henry Cole helped make it happen.
RSA Leadership
The RSA has important leaders who guide its work. Its Patron was Elizabeth II. The current president is The Princess Royal. She took over from her father, The Duke of Edinburgh, in 2011. The chairman of the RSA is Tim Eyles, and its chief executive is Andy Haldane.
Past Presidents of the RSA
- 1755–61: Jacob, Viscount Folkestone
- 1761–93: Robert, Lord Romney
- 1794–1815: Charles, Duke of Norfolk
- 1816–43: Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
- 1843–61: Albert, Prince Consort
- 1862: William Tooke
- 1863–1901: Albert Edward, Prince of Wales
- 1901: Sir Frederick Bramwell
- 1901–10: George, Prince of Wales
- 1910–10: Richard, Lord Alverstone
- 1911–42: Arthur, Duke of Connaught
- 1942–43: Sir Edward Crowe
- 1943–45: E. F. Armstrong
- 1945–47: Richard, Viscount Bennett
- 1947–52: Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh
- 1952–2011: Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
- 2011–present: Anne, Princess Royal
Becoming an RSA Fellow
People can become Fellows if they agree with the RSA's goals and values. Some people are invited to join because of their important work. Others are suggested by existing Fellows or RSA staff. You can also apply yourself, with references, and a special panel will review your application.
Fellows of the RSA can use the letters FRSA after their name. They can also visit the RSA Library and other buildings in central London. Fellows pay a yearly fee to support the RSA's charity work. New Fellows also pay a one-time registration fee.
RSA Awards and Prizes
When it started, the RSA gave out prizes for 100 years. They gave medals and sometimes money to people who succeeded in challenges. These challenges were in areas like farming, arts, manufacturing, and chemistry. For example, they gave awards for new ways to grow crops or for inventing new machines. Young artists also won awards, like Edwin Landseer, who won a silver medal at age 10 for a drawing of a dog.
Today, the RSA still gives out important awards. They have three main medals: the Albert Medal, the Benjamin Franklin Medal, and the Bicentenary Medal. Famous winners include Nelson Mandela, Sir Frank Whittle, and Professor Stephen Hawking.
Royal Designers for Industry
In 1936, the RSA started giving a special award called Royal Designers for Industry (RDI or HonRDI). This award is for the very best designers who have shown "long-lasting excellence in beautiful and useful design for industry."
The "Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry" was created in 1937. It helps promote great design. Only RDIs and HonRDIs can be members. There are only 120 Royal Designers (RDI) and 45 Honorary Royal Designers (HonRDI) at any time. Honorary Royal Designers are non-British citizens.
These designers work in many fields, like engineering, graphics, product design, fashion, and urban planning. Famous past and present members include Sir Jonathan Ive (who designed Apple products), Dame Vivienne Westwood (a fashion designer), and Sir James Dyson (who invented new vacuum cleaners).
RSA Activities and Events
The RSA has activities in Great Britain and Ireland. These help Fellows connect and discuss local issues. The RSA also works globally in places like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
Public Events
The RSA holds many public events, like lectures, discussions, and film screenings. These events share important ideas with everyone for free. Over 100 events happen each year, and many are streamed online. You can find audio and video recordings on the RSA's website and YouTube channel.
Many well-known speakers have shared their ideas at the RSA. These include Sir Ken Robinson, Al Gore, Sir David Attenborough, and Michael Sandel.
RSA Animate Videos
The RSA creates short, animated videos called "RSA Animate." These 10-minute whiteboard animations are based on talks given at RSA events. They make big ideas easy to understand and fun to watch. The animations are drawn by RSA Fellow Andrew Park.
By 2011, the first 14 RSA Animate videos had been watched 46 million times. This made the RSA's YouTube channel the most popular non-profit channel in the world.
RSA Projects
The RSA has started many important projects over the years:
- In 1882, the RSA began offering the first national public exams. This led to the creation of the Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations Board.
- In 1876, the RSA helped start the National Training School for Music. This school later became the Royal College of Music.
- The RSA came up with the idea of putting special plaques on buildings to remember famous people who lived or worked there. These are now known as "blue plaques." The first plaque was red and honored Lord Byron. The RSA put up 36 plaques before other groups took over the project.
- In 1929, the RSA bought the entire village of West Wycombe. After fixing it up, they gave the village to the National Trust, which protects historic places.
- In the 1980s, the RSA helped create "Industry Year" to encourage people to value industry more.
- In 2008, the RSA became a sponsor of the RSA Academy, a school in Tipton. They also have six other schools in the West Midlands.
- Past projects include bringing clean water to developing countries and exploring ways to manage international migration. They also work on making designs useful for everyone and helping artists share ideas about protecting the environment.
- Since 2019, the RSA has hosted TEDxLambeth, a local TEDx conference.
RSA House in London
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The RSA moved into its current home in 1774. The building is on John Adam Street, near the Strand in central London. It was designed by the Adam Brothers (James Adam and Robert Adam) as part of their Adelphi project. The main building has a large room called the Great Room. It has amazing paintings by Irish artist James Barry about "The Progress of Human Knowledge and Culture." There are also portraits of the RSA's first two presidents.
The RSA has grown and now includes other buildings nearby. One of these, 18 Adam Street, used to be a tavern mentioned in Dickens's book The Pickwick Papers. This old dining room has a beautiful ceiling designed by the Adam brothers.
The RSA building was updated in 2012. It won awards for its design and for keeping its historic look.
Organizations Connected to the RSA
The Royal Academy of Arts in London has its roots in an attempt by RSA members in 1755 to create an art academy. Even though that first attempt didn't work out, the plan used to set up the Royal Academy of Arts later was very similar to what the RSA had proposed. The RSA also held the first exhibition of contemporary art in 1760. Famous artists like Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds showed their work there. They later helped start the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768.
An exhibition of photography in 1852 led to the creation of the Photographic Society of London in 1853.
RSA Coat of Arms
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See also
In Spanish: Royal Society of Arts para niños
- First Exhibition (1760)
- List of fellows of the Royal Society of Arts
- Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
