About the Academy

The South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts is a registered charity dedicated to advancing the creation and appreciation of art in the South West of Britain. Its core membership, the academicians, are outstanding practitioners of fine and applied arts with varied practices, backgrounds and styles. 

The Academy works to contribute to the cultural life of our region through an annual calendar of exhibitions and events. Each year the Academy holds several large-scale exhibitions to showcase the work of its members. Late in the year, the Open Exhibition invites entries from regional, national and international artists to be exhibited alongside the Academicians’ work.

The Open Exhibition features the Young Artists Award, part of the Academy's ongoing programme of work with schools and young people.

The Annual Drecki Lecture is a presentation given by outstanding artists and others in the field of the arts, and has even taken the form of a dramatic presentation.

The work of the Academy is made possible by the the generous support from a range of sponsors. Practical, financial and artistic support comes from the Friends of the Academy, whose efforts have underpinned the organisation from its beginnings.

If you're interested in becoming a Friend of the Academy, you can find out more here. If you are interested in volunteering for an event please get in touch via the Contact page.

You can find out more about the history and mission of the Academy on the Academy History Page - and browse recent events on our news page.