A potential fixture in London’s summer art calendar, Illuminated gathers over 100 contemporary artists in a curated exhibition by the RSA and AOAP Projects. It links artistic practice with social purpose, combining accessibility, philanthropy, and intergenerational exchange rooted in the RSA’s commitment to collective progress.
Launching at the RSA’s historic headquarters on John Adam Street, Illuminated inaugurates a new annual exhibition format. Developed in partnership with AOAP Projects, formerly Art on a Postcard, it marks a clear shift beyond the organisation’s long-standing postcard auction model into curated exhibitions and expanded fundraising initiatives, opening new pathways for artists, audiences, and institutions.
The exhibition is grounded in the history and values of the Royal Society of Arts. Founded in 1754 in a London coffee house during the Enlightenment, the RSA emerged as a meeting point for artists, thinkers, and reformers. More than 270 years later, it continues to advance the exchange of ideas and the belief that creativity can serve the common good. Illuminated draws directly on this legacy, inviting artists to respond to themes of enlightenment, social value, and collective progress, while extending the RSA’s tradition of public engagement.
Curated by Gemma Peppe, the inaugural edition brings together an intergenerational group of artists working across painting, photography, and conceptual practices. Participating artists include Caroline Coon, Susie Hamilton, and Helen Beard, alongside Royal Academician Miriam Escofet, Jon Burgerman, Mandy Payne, and a wider mix of established and emerging contemporary voices spanning multiple practices and perspectives.
Accessibility remains central to the project. Continuing AOAP’s established ethos, all works are produced at an intimate scale, no larger than seven by seven inches, with prices starting at £55. The structure is designed to broaden access, appealing to both established collectors and younger audiences making first-time acquisitions. The intergenerational nature of the artist selection reinforces this aim, creating dialogue across different stages of practice and audience engagement.
The exhibition’s philanthropic model further defines its framework. Artists receive 50% of sales proceeds, while the remainder supports the RSA’s ongoing social impact programmes, including work on regional inequality, sustainability, community finance, and educational exclusion. The summer exhibition therefore operates not only as a sales platform, but as an extension of the RSA’s wider civic mission.
Illuminated sets a recurring space where contemporary art meets the RSA’s public mission. It brings artists, collectors, and audiences into direct proximity within a historic institutional setting, turning exchange into a shared civic act.
