The Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts was founded in 1823 by a group of artists whose passionate efforts to regenerate art in Ireland evolved exhibition spaces and studios where master artists could take in students under their tutelage.

Today, the RHA School continues to cultivate artistic talent and celebrate art-in-the-making. We have the lineage of an old-school atelier, crossed with the vibrancy of a contemporary art school.

Both RHA Academicians and Visiting Artists provide mentorship for our skills-based and accredited school courses: a heart line to the Academy’s original mission to provide training for those who wish to master drawing and painting skills.

Our school programme is particularly tailored for those with artistic competency and a strong desire to improve on drawing technique.

For 200 years the RHA has been run by our elected Academicians, a group of eminent Irish artists and architects. Over time, a community has flourished at the RHA, forming a vital confluence of artistic ideas and personalities. It is a heritage we are proud of and what makes the RHA School programme so distinctive and dynamic.

RHA School courses are led by either an RHA Academician or an invited artist, each with a highly individualised, intensive and hands-on approach.

We keep our class sizes small, so tutors can provide tailored instruction and ensure everyone is challenged to become the best artist they can be. Our studios are places of inspiration, where students are offered a rigorous training in the practice and tradition of drawing and painting from life.

All board appointments to the RHA School are for three years and no Academician can serve more than two consecutive terms. 

The RHA has a purpose-built facility above the gallery floor housing the School and RHA Studios: this includes the RHA Library and an open-plan kitchen, two open plan drawing studios and four individual studios with abundant north-facing light.

Each year, RHA Studio residencies & awards are open for application. In addition to our on-site studios, we also offer additional off-site residencies.

All residencies & awards are currently closed. The next applications will open in four weeks for: Tony O’Malley Residency Award, Clare Island Studio Residency and the Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Travel Bursary.

Please join our free mailing list for up-to-date information and news of latest RHA Studios applications.

The RHA School provides exceptional resources and alumni networking opportunities so that artists can connect, develop their portfolios and launch creative careers. We are very proud of all the work produced during our student programmes.

Our relationship with former students is lifelong and we consider all those who have participated in some way with the RHA School to be part of our alumni community. Latest alumni include Karen Ebbs, Shelia McCarron, Cecilia Bullo and Maeve Curtis.