National Academy of Design

- Mission The National Academy of Design promotes art and architecture in America through exhibition, education, and research. Founded in 1825, the National Academy is the leading honorary society for visual artists and architects in the United States. We advocate for the arts as a tool for education, celebrate the role of artists and architects in public life, and serve as a catalyst for cultural conversations that propel society forward. At the core of our mission are the National Academicians, a vibrant community of 450 artists and architects selected by their peers in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to art and architecture in America. Representing a wide cross-section of practice, the Academicians embody our shared belief in the power of art and architecture to change society and enrich lives. Through their individual work and collective initiatives, the Academicians support their communities, their peers, and the next generation of creative thinkers. As we look to our 200th anniversary in 2025, we will shape and implement new forms of service to artists and architects and dissolve long-standing barriers to culture to foster a community that transcends backgrounds, disciplines, and beliefs. Our work will advance a national conversation about visual art and design and reimagine cultural advocacy for the 21st century. - Historical overview The National Academy of Design was created by and for artists and architects in 1825 to advance contemporary art and design in the United States. It was the first institution in the United States founded and led by professional artists and mirrored the Royal Academy of Arts in London in its structure, which at the time included an elected government council, a professional art school, and an annual exhibition of contemporary art. The National Academy’s primary aim is to create a platform for the exchange of ideas and discussion in contemporary art and architecture. As a professional society, the National Academy’s founding membership of artists and architects established the honorary title National Academician to recognize the contributions of living artists and architects in the field of art and design. Every year the membership nominates and elects a new class of National Academicians in a tradition that has spanned almost 200 years. - About the Collection Since its founding in 1825, the National Academy of Design has invited elected National Academicians to donate a representative artwork to the Academy’s collection. In 1839, the National Academy decided that any individual nominated to the preceding rank of Associate National Academician (ANA) will also present a portrait of themselves for the collection, whether painted by their own hand or that of a fellow artist. Such gifts of “diploma works” and “diploma portraits” are the defining feature of the National Academy’s collection. Over the decades, these submissions have grown into a distinctive collection, presenting a visual document of the National Academy’s membership and a unique history of American art and architecture from the early 19th century to the present as told by its makers.