Annual exhibition of the Royal Ulster Academy with painting, sculpture, print, photography and craft from RUA members, invited artists and open submissions.
The Royal Ulster Academy opens its 145th annual exhibition at the Ulster Museum on Sunday 18 October, and it's on through to 3 January 2027. It's a big, broad show that brings together painting, sculpture, print, photography and craft, and it's free to enter.
The mix comes from three places: RUA members, invited artists, and those selected through open submission. That open call is the heart of the whole thing, giving artists at any stage of their practice a chance to get their work into one of Northern Ireland's most significant exhibitions. The Academy also keeps its link to contemporary craft through its association with Craft NI.
Among the work on display is a landscape painting by British artist Andrew Gifford, and pieces by newly elected Academicians Alana Barton and Stuart Marshall. You'll also find Measured Lives 2 by the artist dandowling. The exhibition is part of the Belfast International Arts Festival, the city's longest-running international arts event, which started in 1962 and is running its 64th edition in 2026 with more than 200 events across over 30 venues and artists from 19 countries. Alongside the show, the RUA's education programme welcomes thousands of pupils through guided tours, workshops, lectures and encounters with artists.
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It's at the Ulster Museum in the Botanic Gardens, open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday, and it's free.
Date
18 October – 3 January
10:00
Location
Ulster Museum, Botanic GardensPrice
Free
Recommended Age
+14 years
