Royal Ulster Academy

Other names: Belfast Rambler's Sketching Club (1879-1890), The Belfast Art Society (1890-1930), The Ulster Academy of Arts (1930-1950)
Foundation date: 1879

Active: 1879 -

Function: Art society

Policy: '[The Royal Ulster Academy] is an association of Art workers and other interested in Art, who by joining together mutually assist each other in the study of Art and also in a wider sphere use their influence for the spread of Art Culture.'

Rules: Rules established at the formation of the Rambler's Sketching Club in 1879:
I. That this Club be called 'The Ramblers.'
II. That the Club have for its object the production of original sketches. These sketches to be arranged in a book, or books provided for the purpose, and passed from one member to another, in turn, as may be agreed on.
III. That the Club meet once every fortnight.
IV. That the business of the Club be transacted by a President, Treasurer, Secretary and two members, all chosen from the Club; and that these Office-Bearers form the Committee.
V. That the Office-Bearers (the President excepted) retire at the end of every six months, and that a new election takes place.
VI. Each member is free choose his own subject - figure, landscape, or otherwise - and may produce his sketch in oil, watercolours, or any other medium. No sketch less than six inches by four will be received; and all sketches must be sent in unmounted.
VII. Each member must send in at least one sketch per month, or send a reasonable excuse in writing to the Secretary for consideration of the Committee, otherwise he will be required to pay a fine of one shilling, and forfeit his right to the use of the book for a period to be determined by the Committee.
VIII. To meet the expense incurred in providing books, mounts etc., each Member shall pay One Shilling per month. Payments to be made in advance.
IX. Any person wishing to join the Club must be proposed by a Member a week previous to election.

History or description: Established in 1879, The Rambler's Sketching Club held its first annual exhibition in the Royal Ulster Works Library in Botanic Avenue in 1881. the first of the club's large scale exhibitions began in 1885, and was held in 55 Donegall Place. The annual exhibition moved to the Library on Royal Avenue in 1889. In 1890 the Club became The Belfast Art Society, and held its first exhibition in the Belfast Library in 1891. Previously the Belfast Rambler's Club had focused solely on sketching and painting, but the new Society was more inclusive, beginning to exhibit sculpture, metalwork, wood carving, etc. In 1929 the annual exhibition moved to the newly opened Belfast Municipal Museum and Art Gallery, however members of the society thought it unsuitable and the location of the annual exhibition changed between here and the Old Museum Buildings during 1930s. The Society became The Ulster Academy of Art in 1930, gaining the pre-fix 'Royal' in 1950.

Annual subscriptions in 1920 were:

'£1-11-6 for subscribers
£1-1-0 for members
15/- for associate members'
These were raised from previous years due to an increase in the rent for the Society's rooms.

[In 1899]'Life Model Classes are held at the Society's Rooms, 49 Queen Street, during the winter session, which commences on 1st October, and ends on the 30th of April.
Classes for Ladies and Gentlemen, Monday and Thursday, from 10.30am until 1.30pm.
Classes for Gentlemen, Monday and Thursday Evenings from 8 until 10.
Ladies' Class, Tuesday Evening, from 7.30 until 9.30. (1899 exhibition catalogue, p. 20)

Activities: art union, classes in life drawing , exhibitions (open to non-members), exhibitions (members only), lectures, lectures on art, meetings, sketching excursions

Publications: annual reports, exhibition catalogues

Funding types: annual subscription

Citing this record

'Royal Ulster Academy', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/organization.php?id=msib3_1255700479, accessed 23 Mar 2023]