Gallery@hd1 Competitors

The Southbank Centre is the UK’s largest arts centre and the heart of London’s cultural life. We exist to present great cultural experiences that bring people together and we achieve this by providing the space for artists to create and present their best work and by creating a place where as many people as possible can come together to experience bold, unusual and eye-opening work. We want to take people out of the everyday, every day. Occupying a prominent riverside location that sits in the midst of London’s most vibrant cultural quarter on the South Bank of the Thames, our site has an extraordinary creative and architectural history stretching back to the 1951 Festival of Britain. The Southbank Centre is made up of the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery as well as being home to the National Poetry Library and the Arts Council Collection. It is also home to six Resident Orchestras (Aurora Orchestra, Chineke! Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Philharmonia Orchestra).

An independent institution, The Royal Academy of Arts exists to promote art and artists – a mission we pursue through exhibitions, education and debate. We have a lot in common with other museums and galleries, and while the diversity of our exhibitions programme sets us apart, a few other factors also make the RA a unique institution. We promote not just the appreciation and understanding of art, but also its practice. We are home to Britain’s first art school, the RA Schools; our three-year postgraduate course is one of the most competitive in the country, and we are proud to offer free tuition to all who study here. We are artist-run. Just as when we were founded in 1768, we are led by many of the greatest artists and architects of the day. Known as Royal Academicians, they are all practising artists who help to steer our vision and support our activities. Lastly, we are an independent charity, and unlike most of our peers we do not receive revenue funding from the government and so we are reliant upon the support of visitors, donors, sponsors, and the loyal Friends of the Royal Academy to continue our work.

Our mission is to increase the public’s enjoyment and understanding of art. When Tate first opened its doors to the public in 1897 it had just one gallery, displaying a small collection of British artworks. Today we have four major galleries and the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art, which includes nearly 80,000 artworks. Tate is a public institution owned by, and existing for, the public.