Mick O’Dea RHA, the first School Principal between 2008 and 2011, set up a School Board consisting of artists and Honorary Members of the Academy. Until the School became fully operational, the plan was to develop an Atelier Programme of Activities based on the core beliefs of the RHA School. A programme grew organically, through a series of scheduled activities in response to interest and enquiries from many artists.
Invited artists completed residencies in the new artists’ studios on a continuous basis, for terms of up to three months. This arrangement is now replaced by the Emerging Artists’ Studio Award scheme offered to six successful applicants each year. Life drawing marathons and weekly drawing sessions were run on a frequent basis and a program of workshops was developed. In addition, a series of 22 lectures by Members of the Academy was presented on a weekly basis.
Current Programme (and continuing development) The current programme is led by Joe Dunne RHA (elected Principal in October 2011) with Una Sealy ARHA as Assistant Principal and the School Management Committee (academy members and artists) who help to form the programme and facilitate the running of activities. A structured programme of lectures, workshops and drawing sessions has been developed in line with a three-term academic year (Sep-June) which will benefit artists hoping to expand and develop their own practice.
For further details on the current or up-coming programme, please follow the links for life drawing sessions, workshops, lectures and artists’ studios.
The foundations of this programme have developed from the School Mission Statement as devised by the School Board:
RHA School Mission Statement The School will teach drawing and painting to artists who have already achieved (a degree of/ considerable) competence in their work, and who wish to improve their technical skills and widen their understanding of drawing and painting. An atelier system will enable artists to learn from those with more experience, both from their peers and invited artists, who will teach by practical demonstration. The School will emphasise the primacy of drawing from observation. Studio work will be complemented by lectures on relevant subjects from the arts and sciences.
