The Royal Hibernian Academy (Amendment of Charter) Act 2023

The 194^th Annual RHA Exhibition opens this Monday the 20^th May. It is always a wonderful show, which squeezes in a huge amount of painting, sculpture, print, architectural design, and more. I would recommend that everyone visits during its two-and-a-bit month run.

Without much fanfare, the RHA amended its charter LATE LAST year for the first time in a very long time. This could only be done with governmental approval, which is quite interesting.

The Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) was founded in 1823 when it was incorporated by royal charter after King George the IV was petitioned by a group of Irish Artists. The original Charter allowed for 14 members and 10 Associates Professors of Painting, Sculpture, and Architects. Queen Victoria granted a new Charter in 1861, which expanded the number of members to 30. Those members could admit up to 10 artist Associates.

The Royal Hibernian Academy (Adoption of Charter) Order, 1940 S.I. No. 331/1940 was the last amendment to the charter. It gave it full force in Irish Law and inserted references to the ‘Taoiseach’ and the ‘Government’ wherever relevant, eliminating references to the ‘Crown’ etc. As a result, it is the Taoiseach who must give his or her approval for the nomination of the President, Treasurer, and Secretary of the RHA. Furthermore, the bye-laws and ordinances made under the Charter must be approved by the government.

The Governors of the RHA felt that 30 members was too few and wished to increase this to 55. A Bill was drafted which set out this change. It also established a new permanent position of ‘Keeper’, replaced the qualifying profession of ‘engravers’, with ‘printmakers’, and did away with the geographic limit on the holding of meetings ‘in the City of Dublin or within 10 miles thereof’. (With a couple of other amendments). It is unusual for an institution like the RHA to have to go through an Oireachtas process in order to make changes to its own internal running, but here we are with the Royal Hibernian Academy (Amendment of Charter) Act 2023, and 25 new RHA members. Members of course are entitled to have shown up to six works of art in the annual show, without the need to go through the judging process. With 25 new members that’s potentially 150 more artworks in the exhibition before decisions are made on the public submissions. The Act came into force in December last year and it may not be until October and the RHA’s AGM that new members are added, although I’m open to correction on this.