Party Pictures 11/5/03 - 20th Anniversary of the American Associates of the Royal Academy of Arts at the Rainbow Room

20th Anniversary of the American Associates of the Royal Academy of Arts at the Rainbow Room

Philip Lader, Serena Lese and friend, Ann Nitze, Frances Hayward, Amb. David Manning, Princess and Prince Michael of Kent, Kitty Ockenden and friend, and Phillip King

The Royal Academy of Arts was founded two hundred and thirty-five years ago under the auspices of George III to create a public gallery (where living artists could exhibit) as well as a school of art to teach the fundamentals of pure design. It’s privately supported and run by the artists themselves – 80 elected royal Academicians – painters, engravers, sculptors, and architects.

HRH Prince Michael and HRH Princess Michael of Kent

Today the Royal Academy’s home is in Burlington House, a historic London mansion built in the 17th Century and redesigned (in the Palladian style) in the 18th Century. There they mount continuous programs of exhibits that are famous for their scholarship, presentation and popularity. Many of these exhibits travel to the US which strengthen the ties between us and the British.

They also have a great permanent collection created by Royal Academicians themselves including Sir Joshua Reynolds (the first director), Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable, Henry Raeburn, Sir John Everett Millais, George Stubbs and JMW Turner.

For twenty years, the American Associates of the Royal Academy Trust have supported the Royal Academy in its work which includes exchanges of exhibitions, ongoing conservation of the collection, maintenance of the research library and scholarships for young American artists at the Royal Academy Schools.

The American Associates celebrated their 20th anniversary with a big dinner dance at the Rainbow Room, with honored guest being a great-(by a factor of 5) grandson of George III, Prince Michael of Kent. Since its inception, the American Associates have raised more than $30 million for the Royal Academy, making a Big Difference in sustaining the ongoing progress of the Royal Academy.