El Anatsui, Lubaina Himid, Frank Bowling, and Yinka Shonibare are among the major artists in this expansive showcase of contemporary dialogue and cross-cultural creativity.
Gallery view of the Summer Exhibition 2025, at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 17 June – 17 August 2025. © Royal Academy of Arts, London / David Parry
The Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition returns for its 257th edition, transforming the galleries of Burlington House with a vibrant array of contemporary art and architecture. Curated this year by Royal Academician and architect Farshid Moussavi, the exhibition explores the theme of ‘Dialogues’—between people, disciplines, species and histories.
This annual open-submission exhibition is the world’s largest of its kind, offering a platform for emerging and established artists across all media. As ever, the majority of works are for sale, with proceeds supporting artists and the RA’s charitable work, including its postgraduate art school, the RA Schools.
Moussavi, known for her bold architectural projects and academic rigour, has led the Summer Exhibition Committee in presenting a show that encourages visitors to think about how art can foster understanding across cultural, political and ecological boundaries. For the first time, architecture is integrated directly into the main galleries, no longer siloed but in conversation with painting, sculpture, and installation.
Visitors are greeted by British artist Alice Channer’s towering 6-metre sculpture made from ostrich feathers and steel chain. This dramatic opening statement sets the tone for the show’s ambitious scale and thematic complexity. Nearby, Brazilian artist Antonio Tarsis contributes a monumental wall of deconstructed matchboxes, while suspended textile carcasses by Tamara Kostianovsky drift overhead in the largest gallery space.
The breadth of participating artists reflects the RA’s wide reach. Alongside public submissions, works by Royal Academicians such as Rana Begum, Grayson Perry, Cornelia Parker, and Rose Wylie are on view. This year also features contributions by Lubaina Himid, Frank Bowling, Yinka Shonibare and El Anatsui—artists whose global perspectives and distinctive practices have significantly shaped contemporary art.
Honorary Royal Academician Jenny Holzer joins the Summer Exhibition for the first time, while fellow Honoraries including Marina Abramović, Marlene Dumas, William Kentridge and Kiki Smith further expand the show’s international range. Architecture also plays a leading role, with projects by 6a architects, Material Cultures, Arinjoy Sen, and JA Projects, among others. A towering 6-metre roost for wildlife, designed by 51 architecture, takes pride of place in the Lovelace Courtyard between Burlington House and Burlington Gardens.
Playfulness and curiosity are also on display. In the Annenberg Courtyard, Ryan Gander RA presents five large inflatable balls featuring absurd questions developed with children—a work that champions wonder and the untamed logic of young minds.
The exhibition also honours late Royal Academicians Norman Ackroyd and Timothy Hyman, paying tribute to their long-standing contributions to British art. Meanwhile, works by artists Lucy and Jorge Orta, Hussein Chalayan, Anya Gallaccio, and John Walker round out a lineup that spans disciplines and generations.
As part of its public programme, the RA will once again award a range of prizes, including the prestigious £35,000 Charles Wollaston Award for the most distinguished work in the exhibition. Many works are available to browse and purchase via the Summer Exhibition Explorer.
With its spirit of inclusion and experimentation, the Summer Exhibition continues to offer a unique snapshot of contemporary practice—and a reminder that art, at its best, is a conversation worth joining.
The exhibition is on view until 17 August 2025. For more information, please visit the Royal Academy of Arts.
