A reference guide to art institution initials, and initials found after artists' names.
| A |
Associate |
| AA |
Architectural Association |
| AAA |
Allied Artists' Association |
| AEB |
Art Exhibitions Bureau |
| AG |
Art Gallery |
| AIA |
Artists' International Association |
| ARA |
Associate of the Royal Academy |
| ARCA |
Associate of the Royal College of Art OR Associate of the Royal Cambrian Academy |
| ARHA |
Associate of the Royal Hibernain Academy |
| ARPE |
Associate of the Royal Society of Painters and Etchers |
| ARSA |
Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy |
| ARSW |
Associate of the Royal Scottish Watercolour Society |
| ARWS |
Associate of the Royal Watercolour Society |
| AWG |
Art Workers' Guild |
| B |
Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham |
| BAG |
British Artists in Glass |
| BI |
British Institution (established as a rival to the RA) |
| BM |
British Museum |
| BSOE |
British Society of Enamellers |
| Bt. |
Baronet |
| BWS |
British Watercolour Society |
| CASW |
Contemporary Art Society for Wales |
| CEMA |
Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts |
| CSD |
Chartered Society of Designers (formerly the SIAD) |
| F |
Fellow OR Founder Member |
| FAS |
Fine Art Society |
| FP |
Founder President |
| FRS |
Fellow of the Royal Society |
| FSA |
Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries |
| GG |
Grosvenor Gallery (1877-90) |
| GI |
Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts |
| H / Hon. |
Honorary Member OR Honorary |
| HS |
Hilliard Society of Miniaturists |
| ICA |
Institute of Contemporary Arts |
| IS |
International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers |
| LAA |
Liverpool Academy of Arts |
| LG |
London Group |
| LS |
London Salon |
| MAFA |
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts |
| Nat Gall |
National Gallery, London |
| NA |
National Academy of Design (New York) |
| NBA |
North British Academy |
| NEAC |
New English Art Club |
| NG |
New Gallery (Founded 1888) |
| NPG |
National Portrait Gallery, London |
| NPS |
National Portrait Society |
| NS |
National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Gravers/Printmakers |
| NSA |
New Society of Artists OR Nottingham Society of Artists |
| NWG |
North Wales Group |
| NWS |
New Watercolour Society (see RI) |
| OM |
Order of Merit |
| OWS |
Old Watercolour Society (see RWS) |
| P |
President |
| PP |
Past President |
| PS |
Pastel Society |
| PVP |
Past Vice President |
| RA |
Royal Academy of Arts or Royal Academician |
| RBA |
Royal Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street (SS) OR Royal Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street (SS) (See also SBA) |
| RBC |
Royal British Colonial Society of Artists |
| RBS |
Royal Society of British Sculptors |
| RBSA |
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, OR Member Royal Birmingham Society of Artists |
| RCA |
Member of the Royal Cambrian Academy, Manchester (if an artist studied at the RCA, this refers to the Royal College of Art, London) |
| RCamA |
Royal Cambrian Academy |
| RE |
Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers/Painter-Printmakers (see RPE) |
| RGI |
Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Art |
| RHA |
Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin OR Member Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin |
| RI |
Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours (formerly MWS) or Member Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours (formerly MWS) |
| RIBA |
Royal Institute of British Architects or Member Royal Institute of British Architects |
| RMS |
Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers |
| ROI |
Royal Institute of Oil Painters OR Member Royal Institute of Oil Painters |
| RP |
Royal Society of Portrait Painters |
| RPE |
Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers (later RE) OR Member Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers |
| RPS |
Royal Photographic Society |
| RS |
Royal Society |
| RSA |
Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce; Royal Scottish Academy OR Member Royal Scottish Academy |
| RSMA |
Royal Society of Marine Artists |
| RSW |
Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours OR Member Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours |
| RUA |
Royal Ulster Academy |
| RWA |
Royal West of England Academy |
| RWS |
Royal Watercolour Society (formerly OWS) OR Member Royal Watercolour Society |
| SBA |
Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street Founded 1824 (See RBA) Also: Society of Botanical Artists |
| SC |
Senefelder Club |
| SEA / SEq.A |
Society of Equestrian Artists, OR Society for Education in Art |
| SGA |
Society of Graphic Art |
| SIAD |
Society of Industrial Artists and Designers (formerly the Society of Industrial Artists) |
| SM |
Society of Miniaturists |
| SMP |
Society of Mural Painters |
| SPS |
Society of Portrait Sculptors |
| SS |
See RBA |
| SSA |
Society of Scottish Artists |
| SSWA |
Scottish Society of Women Artists |
| SWA |
Society of Women Artists |
| SWAS |
South Wales Art Society |
| SWE |
Society of Wood Engravers |
| SWG |
South Wales Group/The Welsh Group |
| SWLA |
Society of Wildlife Artists |
| TWASI |
The Wildlife Art Society International |
| UA |
United Society of Artists |
| VP |
Vice-President |
| WAC |
Welsh Arts Council/The Arts Council of Wales |
| WIAC |
Women's International Art Club |
| WSW |
Watercolour Society of Wales |
