Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce

A society founded in 1754 by William Shipley to encourage useful inventions, discoveries, and improvements through prizes and honorary awards. It received a Royal Charter in 1847, and permission to use “Royal” in its name in 1908 (from about this time it is known informally as the “Royal Society of Arts”). During the twentieth century it broadened its activities into education, design, social reform, environmental conservation, and public policy. Today the RSA is an international Fellowship and charity promoting creativity, research, and practical action for the common good.