About us
The place to learn to draw
We are the independent, artist-led and not-for-profit home of observational drawing. We exist to ensure artists and creatives everywhere can access world-leading skills-based drawing tuition regardless of background, age or circumstances; to bring new audiences to drawing; to champion our practice for this generation and the next.
We teach everyone, from beginners to practicing artists. Our programmes include our world-renowned, full-scholarship, postgraduate-level Drawing Year; our ambitious public courses; and our programme for young artists. Our courses take place in our studios, outdoors, in galleries and online.
We are based in East London but work with and support artists everywhere. The Royal Drawing School was founded in 2000 by HM King Charles III and artist Catherine Goodman CBE LVO.
We invite you to practice with us, visit us or support us.
Letter from the Artistic Director
Drawing can be direct, incisive, intimate, surprising, funny or confrontational. Using the most limited of means, it offers some of the most demanding opportunities for growth to a contemporary artist, both visually and intellectually, allowing a free transition between mediums. It is one of the simplest and yet the most endlessly complex of human activities, encompassing a wide scope of practice and interpretation.
The Royal Drawing School provides a supportive and lively environment for sustained exploration in drawing, in the belief that practice strengthens hand and eye, and concentration nourishes the imagination. Students benefit from working amongst peers and from the contact with tutors and visiting lecturers, who represent a wide spectrum of artistic practice. Both students and faculty value the freedom of intellectual exchange and the atmosphere of shared commitment.
Drawing is a primary language natural to all human beings. At the Royal Drawing School, it is taught as a way of thinking, seeing and understanding. Fundamental is the assertion of the connection between looking and making images; a belief that conceptual innovation can be generated by an active engagement with the visual world that surrounds us.
Drawing connects what we see with how we think. It is a crucial mediation between the world and our idea of it. More flexible than language, drawing has the power to express thought in a new way, to communicate with economy and authenticity.
Catherine Goodman CBE LVO, Founding Artistic Director
Royal Drawing School
Mission
Drawing is a universal language, natural to all humans. It is fundamental to learning and thinking from childhood onwards and a crucial route to innovation across creative disciplines. For some people, drawing is the easiest way to understand, communicate and express themselves.
Our mission is to raise the standard and profile of observational drawing through teaching, research, and exhibitions, championing its continued relevance as both a discipline in its own right and as the foundation of creative practice. We are committed to making high-quality drawing education accessible and affordable to all.
Our people
Meet the founders, trustees, faculty of artists and team responsible for delivering our mission.
Equity, diversity & inclusion
The Royal Drawing School is committed to providing equal opportunities to students, faculty, staff and members of the public. Our aim is to make all our courses as inclusive as possible.
Please read our policies page, and the actions we are taking to promote equity, diversity and inclusion at the School. We provide updates on our progress and have included a feedback email address to ensure that all messages, whether of criticism, advice or support will be heard by the School’s leadership and governance team.
What we do
Courses
We offer over 350 programmes each year, many of which are subsidised. They are taught by a faculty of over 100 practising artists
Exhibitions
Our five annual exhibitions showcase both emerging and established artists, and the innovative ways drawing is used in artistic practice.
Events
Our regular panel discussions feature some of the biggest names in art, architecture, and design, highlighting the versatility of drawing across creative fields.
Residencies
From Jamaica to France, India to USA, our 11 residencies span the globe, offering our community of emerging creatives new environments to develop their work.
Support the next 25 years
Please consider donating. As a charity, we believe everyone, whatever their financial circumstance, should be able to access our teaching. That’s why all our courses come with a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. Help us sustain and grow these programmes over the next 25 years.
