Look ahead to 2025 at the Royal College of Art

22–25 January

This January at the Architecture Work-in-progress Show 2025 students from MA Architecture present a selection of works in the process of being formed in the Darwin Building at RCA Kensington. This is a unique opportunity to meet the architects and designers of the future as their newest work comes together, and take a peek behind the doors of the world's #1 university for art and design.

21–27 February

The RCA Research Biennale 2025 will showcase new PhD Research from the RCA through a six-day exhibition and three-day Symposium. Join us to discover opportunities for collaboration with doctoral researchers from across the globe developing work in a research intensive environment at the RCA.

Exhibition at RCA Battersea: 27 March – 2 April

The RCA Grand Challenge is the biggest single-institution postgraduate design project in the world bringing together students from across our School of Design together every year to work on responses to a pressing global issue. This year our students are helping London communities develop resilient systems using design thinking in areas including health, justice, pollution and socio-economic challenges. An exhibition celebrating their work will take place at RCA Battersea from 27 March to 2 April.

April 2025 – March 2026

Wandsworth’s London Borough of Culture programme will be a trailblazer for London as a Creative Health Capital City where better health outcomes are achieved through the power of culture and the arts. The RCA will be working with Wandsworth’s Arts and Culture Service, primary and secondary schools and youth clubs across the borough on a series of projects demonstrating the importance of cultural heritage, connecting young people to their identity and improving their mental health and wellbeing. We will also be working on an exciting new Sculpture Award for RCA students with Friends of Battersea Park, participating in London Craft Week and hosting the Battersea Society’s photography award.

18 June – 13 July

Students from across the RCA will present their work before graduation at RCA2025 across four weeks this summer. Join us to discover a globally engaged cohort of art and design practitioners. And to find out what RCA2025 might look like take a look at our top media stories from RCA2024 and discover the RCA2024 online graduate showcase.

9–10 September

The World Design Congress is coming to London this year and will take place on 9 and 10 September 2025 at the Barbican. The three-day event will gather the international design community and thought leaders from business, research and education. The RCA is an Ecosystem Partner and will contribute to the Research and Education Forum.

Ongoing

This year we will celebrate 40 Years of MA Animation at the RCA. It has been an incredible few years for the programme with alumni like João Gonzalez being nominated for an Academy Award and our Head of Programme, Dr Samantha Moore nominated for a BAFTA.

And this year we have even more incredible outcomes for our graduates with May Kindred Boothby exhibiting her graduate film, The Eating of an Orange at the Sundance Festival. Ellie Land (MA Animation, 2015) longlisted for Best British Short Animation at the BAFTA Film Awards for Plunge. Iain Gardner (MA Animation, 1996) shortlisted for the Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards, for A Bear Named Wojtek. And Rachel Fitzgerald (MA Animation, 2022) shortlisted for an Irish Film and TV Award for her RCA graduation film Nightpay.

Stay tuned to our channels for our plans to celebrate the legacy of this incredible programme.

Ongoing

We’re excited to share an updated portfolio of short courses and executive masterclasses for 2025, featuring fresh themes and new leadership across our programmes. Our summer course offering includes a new Curating Contemporary Art and Design course for 2025. Led by RCA alumna Elisabeth Del Prete, the course will explore publishing as an expanded curatorial practice, with contributions from renowned institutions such as MoMA, Tate, and V&A.

Clara Gaggero Westaway and Adrian Westaway, founders of the design studio Special Projects, bring their expertise to the ​​Design Thinking & Innovation in Practice short course, as they join us as the new course leaders. Additionally, Dr Nicolás Rebolledo, RCA Tutor in Service Design and Design Futures, will invite participants to expand their knowledge of global best practices in service design in the online Service Design Masterclass, featuring guest industry experts like Eva Guerra, Executive Director & Head of Studio at Designit London.

Ongoing

Thinking of applying to the RCA? There are so many opportunities to find out more about studying with us in 2025, like open days, portfolio Q&As, online study days and ‘Meet the RCA’ panel events in cities around the world. Meet our staff and find out more about the RCA experience.