Welcome to the Official Royal Watercolour Society Website

The Royal Watercolour Society represents the finest watercolour painting in Britain; it is the oldest watercolour society in the world, established in 1804, and is second only to the Royal Academy of Art in importance as an art society.

Members are elected by their peers in a tradition of excellence reaching back almost two hundred years. Their work embraces both established and experimental practices and the exhibitions reflect these different approaches. The RWS has defined 'a watercolour' to mean 'a painting in a water-based medium on a paper-based support'. This definition allows a vast range of work of an indeed infinite variety.

RWS Exhibitions are held twice a year at Bankside Gallery – the home of the Royal Watercolour Society, in the spring and autumn. The RWS also exhibits jointly with the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) in the summer and at Christmas.

Appeal

The RWS is seeking funding of £40,000 for the housing and maintenance of its outstanding collection of 19th and 20th century watercolours.  Please look for more information on our COLLECTIONS page.