Who found the Royal Academy of Arts?

The Royal Academy of Arts, or as it is often abbreviated, the RA, was founded in 1768 by a group of artists headed by portrait painter Joshua Reynolds. Under Reynolds, the Academy functioned as a school aimed at teaching drawing, painting, and sculpture to young artists. The Academy had its roots in private English schools of art popular in the early part of the 18th century. Academy classes were provided free of charge, and scholarships were available to help needy students and to provide opportunities to pursue studies abroad. Lacking royal funding, the Academy survived by charging attendance fees for public exhibitions of work by members. The Royal Academy has extended its mandate over the years since its founding. Now, in addition to teaching classes, the RA hosts regular exhibitions of art work drawn from around the world. As such, it is one of the most prestigious art galleries in the world, and it continues its instruction of approximately 60 young and aspiring artists each year. Although the RA has been criticized in the past for its conservative approach, it remains one of the most influential teaching and exhibition centres of the art world.