Royal Birmingham Society of Artists

The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists is an art society based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. It owns and runs the RBSA Gallery on Brook Street, just off St Paul’s Square. The gallery sits in a converted warehouse near the historic square. The society was founded in 1821 but traces its roots to a life drawing academy opened in 1809. Early members included artists who later shaped British art movements. The society has played a major role in the arts since the 19th century. It gained a royal charter in 1868 and counted figures like Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris and John Everett Millais among its presidents. Annual exhibitions have been held every year since 1827, except during the Second World War and in 2020. The society’s permanent collection now holds around 1,000 works alongside archives documenting its history. Visitors find a gallery with changing exhibitions of work by member artists. The permanent collection and archive are housed in a purpose-built store. Two bronze plaques on the exterior were made in 1919 by William Bloye, a later president. The gallery supports artists through workshops and events. Its setting in the Jewellery Quarter adds to the area’s creative atmosphere.