F or more than 250 years, the Royal Academy of Arts has been shaped by artists, for artists. Now, a new charity auction brings together Royal Academicians, emerging talent from the RA Schools, and Sotheby’s in a rare collaboration where artistic excellence directly supports the future of creative practice. From celebrated names to the next generation still finding their voice, this initiative traces how institutions, artists, and responsibility intersect.
Filmed across the Royal Academy, Sotheby’s, and artists’ studios, the conversation moves from personal histories to the works being donated, and to the deeper question of whether artists owe the institutions that shaped them. The answers reveal something quietly powerful about legacy, stewardship, and why artists continue to invest in artists long after success is secured. These charitable works are on offer in the Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction and Contemporary Day Auction taking place at Sotheby’s London on 4 and 5 March respectively.
