Royal Academy of Arts to that drawn up by Cheere in 1755. It was Sir William Chambers, a prominent architect and head of the British government's architects' department, the Office of Works, who used his connections with George III to gain royal patronage and financial support for the Academy in 1768. The painter Joshua Reynolds was made its first president, and Francis Milner Newton was elected the first secretary, a post he held for two decades until his resignation in 1788. The instrument of foundation, signed by George III on 10 December 1768, named 34 founder members and allowed for a total membership of
Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten or KVAB is an independent learned society of science and arts in Flanders in Belgium. The academy dates its origin back to 1772 when the Imperial and Royal Academy of Brussels was founded by empress Maria Theresia. In English language context the academy is mostly referred to as "Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts", but sometimes also called in shorthand "Royal Academy of Belgium". The Academy is headquartered in the Academy Palace ("Paleis der Academiën"), Hertogsstraat 1,