Royal West of England Academy of Arts, Bristol

The Royal West of England Academy (RWA) is a well-known art gallery situated in the beautiful Clifton district of Bristol. It is housed in a Grade 2* listed building that contains five galleries and exhibits a diverse range of British art, from historic to contemporary. The RWA has a lengthy history and is one of the oldest regional art schools and galleries in the UK.

The impressive RWA building was constructed in 1857 and opened to the public in 1858 as Bristol's first public art gallery and art school. The building features beautiful interiors with colored marble and a replica of the Parthenon Frieze. The building has a grand appearance, with the first floor being divided into three sections, the outer ones with paired Corinthian pilasters, and large shell head niches featuring statues of Flaxman and Reynolds. The parapet is adorned with a large carving of the Three Graces.

In 1913, the Academy was granted its Royal title by King George V, and its expansion continued in 1914 with the addition of a major extension to the front of the building, including the dome and Walter Crane lunettes.

The RWA has an impressive collection of paintings by artists from the Newlyn, Saint Ives, and Bloomsbury Schools, as well as works by other renowned artists such as Elizabeth Blackadder, Bernard Dunstan, Mary Fedden, Matthew Hale, David Inshaw, Derek Balmer, Anne Redpath, George Swaish, and Carel Weight.

Today, the RWA continues to showcase exceptional works of art and celebrates the rich legacy of British art, both traditional and contemporary.