The Summer Exhibition Explorer is our free digital guide to the show. Use it to find details about all 1,600 works in the Summer Exhibition, and to purchase artworks.
In the Summer Exhibition, the RA shows work on behalf of the artist, who is the seller of the work.
This means that, regardless of whether the purchaser is purchasing an artwork in the gallery or online, the RA takes a deposit from the purchaser at the point of sale. The order is then sent to the artist, who will get in touch with the purchaser to take the remaining payment, arrange delivery or collection, and complete the sale.
If you haven’t heard from the artist within three weeks of purchasing an artwork, please contact us.
When purchasing an artwork, the purchaser pays a deposit directly to the RA. The deposit amount is displayed on the artwork page within the Summer Exhibition Explorer. It is 36% of total sale price for non-VAT registered artists, or 30% of total sale price for VAT registered artists. Where the artist is VAT registered, their registration number is displayed on the artwork listing.
This deposit is kept by the RA as commission, the remaining balance is taken by the artist.
The commission supports the RA’s charitable activities, in particular the work of RA Schools, which offers the only free three-year postgraduate programme in Europe.
Due to government legislation that affects all art dealers, galleries and buyers, before the RA accepts or passes high value orders onto artists we are obliged to perform identity checks. If a buyer purchases over £7,000 worth of artwork at the Summer Exhibition over the course of 12 months then this is defined as a high value order.
For full information, please see our guidance, or visit the UK government anti-money laundering guidelines directly.
All non-UK residents are required to complete a customs declaration and pay local import duties.
Unfortunately, any work with a net value of £150 or less cannot be sold to the EU.
The fulfilment of editioned artworks is arranged directly between the artist and the buyer. Delivery to UK addresses is included in the price of unframed prints. Overseas delivery may incur further costs.
The artist will be in touch shortly after the order is placed to take the remaining payment, arrange delivery or collection, and complete the sale. If you haven’t heard from the artist within three weeks of purchase, please contact us.
Exhibited works can be collected weekdays (8am-4pm) from Wednesday 30th August until Tuesday 19th September, and for one Saturday only on 16th September (9am-4pm).
Most artworks in the exhibition are for sale. When an artwork is not for sale, this is made clear on the artwork page within the Summer Exhibition Explorer.
We aim to make the process as simple as possible. If you have any further questions about purchasing or collecting an artwork from the Summer Exhibition Explorer, please contact us.