Royal Society of Arts including Cheere and William Hogarth, or were involved in small-scale private art academies, such as the St Martin's Lane Academy. Although Cheere's attempt failed, the eventual charter, called an 'Instrument', used to establish the Royal Academy of Arts over a decade later was almost identical to that drawn up by Cheere and the RSA in 1755. The RSA also hosted the first "exhibition of contemporary art" in 1760. Thomas Gainsborough and Joshua Reynolds were among those who exhibited at this first exhibition, and were subsequently founder members of The Royal Academy of Arts in 1768. The Society was a pioneer
Imperial and Royal Academy of Brussels Imperial and Royal Academy of Brussels The Imperial and Royal Academy (French: "Académie impériale et royale de Bruxelles"; Dutch: "Keizerlijke en koninklijke academie van Brussel") was founded in Brussels by letters patent of the Empress Maria Theresa dated 16 December 1772 , to promote the study of science and literature (in the broadest senses of both words). The sessions of the academy were to take place in the Royal Library in Brussels, which at the same time became an institution open to the public. The first session was held on 13 April 1773. The first director of the Academy was