Editing Royal Society of Arts (section)

==Associated organisations==
The origin of London's [[Royal Academy of Arts]] lies in an attempt in 1755 by members of the RSA (then simply known as the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), principally the sculptor [[Henry Cheere]], to found an autonomous academy of arts to teach painting and sculpture. Prior to this a number of artists were members of the RSA, including Cheere and [[William Hogarth]], or were involved in small-scale private art academies, such as the [[St Martin's Lane Academy]]. Although Cheere's attempt failed, the eventual [[charter]], called an 'Instrument', used to establish the Royal Academy of Arts over a decade later was almost identical to that drawn up by Cheere and the RSA in 1755.<ref>Gordon Sutton, ''Artisan or Artist?: A History of the Teaching of Art and Crafts in English Schools'' (London: Pergamon Press, 2014) p.297</ref> The RSA also hosted the first ''exhibition of contemporary art'' in 1760. Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds were among those who exhibited at this first exhibition, and were subsequently founder members of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768.

An [[Exhibition of Recent Specimens of Photography|1852 photography exhibition]] led to the creation of the [[Royal Photographic Society|Photographic Society of London]] in 1853.