Most exhibitions at the RWA have works for sale. The money from works sold at the RWA goes directly back to the artists with a small commission to the RWA. This commission provides the RWA with a substantial amount of its annual earnings. Purchases can be paid for by cash, cheque or credit card or interest-free credit.

Own Art - Interest Free Credit *
Arts Council England runs the new scheme called Own Art which is designed to make purchasing art more affordable. The scheme enables individuals to spend up to £2000 on art and spread the payment over 10 months. The RWA can arrange the interest-free loan usually within 15 minutes.

Own Art Interest free* loans make it easy and affordable to buy original, high quality contemporary art and craft.

* Typical 0% APR
RWA is a licensed broker of Own art loans. Registered address: Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1PX.

'I recently met a woman who collected art. She told me she had paintings over every wall of her house, up the stairs, in the bathroom, under the bed and stacked behind the sofa. She rotated them and moved them about and she added to her collection whenever she could afford it. She had an eclectic taste, not that much money and was the kind of woman that painters dream about.

Unfortunately there are not many like her because generally speaking the English are timid about buying Art and it is not part of our culture as it is for example with the Dutch, Spanish or Italians. In those countries collecting Art is taken for granted. However the situation in England is improving and younger people in particular, whose perceptions have been broadened by education and travel, are beginning to be seriously interested in and are collecting art, be it painting, sculpture, prints, photographs or the many other images that can be produced by new technology.

The Royal West of England Academy has long been associated with presenting the best of contemporary art to an established following and many fine collections have started and grown from the first hesitant purchase from our walls. That art is now a big business managed and often manipulated on an international scale is a fact of every day life but it is the modest collector who is the heart beat of the genuine connoisseur. For them buying art is for pleasure and the satisfaction of being associated with a living artist and not least in having the confidence to back their own taste and judgement. Investment for financial gain is never the consideration.

The world of art for all its hype and confusing propaganda is still fundamentally a visual dialogue between image and onlooker. If the price is right and the desire for ownership strong then satisfaction for all concerned must surely be guaranteed. The Royal West of England Academy regularly presents at least six selling exhibitions a year of a diversity that caters to a wide interest and it is our hope that through this web site we will perhaps reach those who hitherto have not visited us before. And whether you are a prospective collector or not you will always be assured a warm welcome and a stimulating exhibition.'