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 Cambrian Academy of Art in Conwy. The Academy's present President is Jeremy Yates and Vice President is Ann Lewis, while its patron is Charles, Prince of Wales. Royal Cambrian Academy of Art The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art is a centre of excellence for art in Wales. Its main gallery is located in Conwy and it has over a hundred members. During the 19th century there were numerous attempts to establish an academy in Wales comparable to those already in existence in England, Scotland and Ireland. The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art was eventually founded in 1881, by a group of mainly English painters