RWA Secret Postcard Auction

Welcome to the online Secret Postcard Auction hosted by Royal West of England Academy.

Now a major event in the national art calendar, the RWA Secret Postcard Auction offers collectors and first-time buyers the chance to purchase unique works of art by leading figures from the art and cultural world from as little as £40.

All artworks measure roughly 7" x 5" (19 x 14 cm) and are signed on the back, so buyers either have to guess who the big name artists are or just buy what they like. Bidding on each work starts at just £40, which is a very reasonable price for a unique piece of art, and if it turns out to be by a Turner Prize winner or other leading artist, it might just be the bargain of the century!

Artists include Basil Beattie, Dame Joan Collins, Eileen Cooper, Susan Derges, Tracey Emin, Gilbert & George, Antony Gormley, Bill Jacklin, Allen Jones, Anish Kapoor, Christopher LeBrun, David Nash, Ana Maria Pacheco and Nick Park.

You can see all of the artists taking part at the bottom of this page.

The online part of this auction will continue until Thursday 16 May, when the auction will continue offline at our Silent Auction event in Bristol (tickets available here: https://shop.rwa.org.uk/products/secret-postcard-auction). If you are unable to make it to the live event, make sure you place your maximum bid before the afternoon of 16 May to avoid being outbid during the event (bidding closes at around 14:00BST). 10 selected postcards will go 'under the hammer' - if your postcard is selected we will arrange a phone line for you to continue bidding.

The Secret Postcard Auction raises much-needed funds for the RWA (Registered Charity No 1070163). If you would like to support the RWA, please consider making a donation.

T&Cs

A bid on this item is considered a contract, and should you win the item you are obliged to purchase it at the price you have bid.

This auction does not include proxy bidding, so your bid level will be at the exact amount you have bid, and this will be the amount you will be committed to paying unless you are outbid.

Please note that bids are in £5 minimum increments, so each bid must be in multiples of £5.

The name of the artist will only be revealed once payment for this item has been received. Please ensure that you have read pick up/shipping instructions before bidding.

The RWA has been bringing great art to Bristol since 1844. We are unique not just in Bristol, but in the UK, in being a purpose-built Royal Academy of Art: somewhere that not only exhibits the best of historic and contemporary art, but that also nurtures new talent for the future, and does so using one of the most beautiful exhibition spaces in the country.

Last year’s Secret Postcard Auction raised almost £75,000 for the RWA's work, engaging some of Bristol's most vulnerable communities, at the RWA and in the community.

Thanks to such support, we are now recognised for making art and creativity accessible for everyone, which we have done through developing meaningful, respectful and lasting relationships with some of Bristol's most underserved communities. We do all this with less than 1% of our costs covered from the public purse, and in the face of the current cost of living crisis it is harder than ever to do this, so the Secret Postcard Auction is essential for this work to continue.

Other projects we’re working on, or have been working on, with communities recently include:-

• Tuesday Teatime Tours for people living with dementia and their companions
• Projects and exhibitions with disabled adults
• School holiday workshops for families and children and school group visits to exhibitions
• Happy Mondays sessions for autistic children and children with profound and multiple learning disabilities
• Free family Scribble and Sketch creative sessions in four areas of deprivation in Bristol
• Relaxed tours of the exhibition for babies under 12 months and their parents and work at Southmead Hospital for mothers with severe postnatal depression and their babies

“This is a great opportunity for people to explore a wealth of art by both famous and emerging artists, whilst at the same time supporting the continuation of our acclaimed work as an arts charity. Every ‘postcard’ – in reality, a small original artwork – is completely unique, and you could potentially walk away with a work from an internationally famous artist for a fraction of its value, so I encourage everyone to join us online for the auction and browse this exceptional range of artworks, so generously donated.” Alison Bevan, RWA Director

Registered Charity No 1070163

The online part of this auction will continue until Thursday 16 May (closing at around 14:00BST) , when the auction will continue offline at our live event in Bristol. Buy your tickets here: https://shop.rwa.org.uk/products/secret-postcard-auction

Attending the event gives you the best possible chance of securing the postcard(s) you have your eye on. Winning bidders are also able to pay for, and take home, their postcards on the night itself.

If you are unable to make it to the live event, make sure you place your maximum bid online to try to avoid being outbid at the live auction.

If you are not outbid at the event, and your online bid turns out to be a winning bid, we will be in touch in the coming days to collect payment and arrange delivery/pick-up. We will not reveal which artist was responsible for your artwork until your payment has been received.

The artists taking part in this auction are as follows:

Helen Acklam · Norman Ackroyd RA · Julia Adams · Peter Amos RWA · ashar · Malcolm Ashman RWA RBA · Victoria Atkinson · Lucy Austin RWA · David J Backhouse FRBS FRSA RWA · Louise Balaam RWA · Derek Balmer PPRWA · Hannah Battershell · Glen Baxter · Denis Baxter RWA RBA · James Beale RE RWA · Nicola Bealing RWA · Basil Beattie · Martin Bentham RWA · Iain Biggs RWA · Clive Blackmore RWA · Vera Boele-Keimer RWA · Diana Bourdon Smith RWA · Olwyn Bowey RA ARCA RWA (Hon) · Martyn Brewster · Holly Brodie · John Brooks · Meg Buick · Emma Burleigh · Charles Burton · Susan Caines RWA · Rebecca Cains RWA · Neil Canning · Prof. David Carpanini PPRE Hon. RWS NEAC RCA Hon. RBSA RWA · Jill Carter · Nigel G Casseldine RWA · Marco Cazzulini · Trevor Challinor RWA · Amanda Chambers · Rebecca Child · Ann Christopher RA · Mary Collett · Dallas Collins RWA · Dame Joan Collins · Eileen Cooper RA · Glenys Cour · Helen Craig · Louisa Crispin · Dr. P. J Crook MBE, RWA · Yvonne Crossley PhD RWA · Anthony Curtis RWA (deceased) · Toni Davey RWA · Toni Davey · Patrick Daw MA (RCA) RWA · Kate Delhanty RWA · Susan Derges RWA (Hon) · Simon Drew · Sara Dudman RWA · Chris Dunseath RWA · John Eaves RWA · Jenny Éclair · Martin Edwards · Karen Edwards RWA · Wendy Elia RWA · Tracey Emin CBE RA · Susan Foord RWA · Elle Ford · Peter Ford RE RWA · Ros Ford RWA · Alice Freeman · Ant Garratt · Stewart Geddes RWA · Gilbert & George · Sarah Gillespie RWA · Anna Gillespie RWA · Christopher Glanville RWA · Christopher Glanville RWA · Leslie Glenn Damhus RWA · Anton Goldenstein · Antony Gormley · Paul Gough PhD MA RWA FRSA · Jenny Graham · Jenny Graham · Leonard Green · Adam Grose MA · Jemma Grundon · Stacey Guthrie · Frances Gynn RWA · Trevor Haddrell RWA · Maggi Hambling · Susie Hamilton · Nicola Hancox · Marcelle Hanselaar · Andrew Hardwick RWA · Niki Hare · Jennifer Harris RWA · Tim Harrisson RWA · Patrick Haughton · Anne Hicks RWA · Thorie Hinds · Fiona Hingston · Simon Hitchens RWA · Terri Hogan · Prof. Ken Howard RA RWS RWA PPNEAC · Laura Howarth · Moira Huntly PPS RI RWA RSMA · Robert Hurdle RWA (Hon) · David Inshaw RWA · Bill Jacklin RA · Stephen Jacobson VPRWA · Lesley Jones · Judith Jones · Helen Jones · Allen Jones RA · Juneau Projects · Anish Kapoor RA · Janette Kerr PhD PRWA · Catherine Knight · Nicky Knowles RWA · Abigail Lane · Andrew Lanyon · Cynthia Lear RWA · Christopher LeBrun PRA · Fan Lee · Kim Lintern · Denis Masi · Gail Mason · Kate MccGwire · Bridget McCrum RWA · Jenny McGee · Mali Morris RA · Jenny Morse · Alice Mumford RWA · Neil Murison RWA (Hon) - deceased · David Nash RA · Maureen Nathan · Nina Ogden · Chris Orr RA · Ana Maria Pacheco · John Palmer RWA · David A Parfitt RI · Nick Park CBE · Janine Partington · Giles Penny RWA · Ruth Piper · Michael Porter RWA · Sandra Porter RWA · Charlotte Price RWA · Simon Quadrat PPRWA · Sophie Rae · Nik Ramage RWA · Peter Randall-Page RA RSA RBS RWA Hon D'Art · Mike Richards RWA · Carol Robertson RWA · Fiona Robinson RWA · Rosalind Robinson · Gill Rocca · Anne Rothenstein RWA · Cecilia Rouncefield · Rebecca Salter RA · Terry Setch RA RWA · John Shakespeare RBSA · Miriam Sheppard · Christopher Shurrock RWA · Dawn Sidoli NEAC RWA · Jennie Slater · Paul Spooner · Laurie Steen RWA · Mark Stopforth · Barrington Tabb RWA · John Taulbut RWA · Dr Paul Thirkell RWA PhD · Paul Thomas · Louise Thompson · Onny Thomson · Sheila Tolley RWA · Nicholas Turner RWA · Elizabeth Turrell RWA · George Tute RWA (Hon) · Stephen Walter · Gordon Ward RWA · Arthur Watson PRSA · Janet Watson RWA · Deborah Westmancoat RWA · Sue Whale RWA · Anthony Whishaw RA RWA (Hon) · Melanie Williams · Glo Williams RWA · Lucy Willis RWA ·