Society of Scottish Artists

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{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

The Society of Scottish Artists is a Scottish artist-run organisation which seeks to promote and encourage experimentation and the "adventurous spirit" in Scottish art.

It was founded in 1891{{cite web| title =A Brief History| url =http://www.s-s-a.org/about/archives/| publisher=Society of Scottish Artists| access-date =2019-09-29}} by Patrick Geddes, William Gordon Burn Murdoch and Katharine Cameron (artist sister of David Young Cameron)Greek Secrets Revealed by Ian McHaffie ISBN 978-0-9525026-8-5 and its main space for annual exhibitions has been the Royal Scottish Academy Building on Princes Street in Edinburgh. The first president was Robert Noble.{{Cite web|url=http://www.johngraycentre.org/people/artists/robert-noble-ra-rsa-1857-1917/|title = Robert Noble RA RSA (1857–1917)}}

The Society's exhibition policy has long been outward-looking. In 1931 it provided a first UK exhibition for works by Edvard Munch, who became a member of the Society. The exhibition met with some hostility in the press and some members of the SSA resigned, but it also influenced artists such as William Gillies and William MacTaggart.{{cite book |title=R H Morton: Stirling's Forgotten Artist |date=2000 |publisher=Smith Art Gallery and Museum |isbn=095253326X |pages=16–18}}

In recent years the Society has organised exchange visits and exhibitions with artists in Japan and the United States.{{cite web|publisher=Arthur Ross Gallery |title=Scottish Spirit |url=http://www.upenn.edu/ARG/archive/scottish/rec_scottish/scotrec.html |date=1998 |access-date=2009-05-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302091532/http://www.upenn.edu/ARG/archive/scottish/rec_scottish/scotrec.html |archive-date=2 March 2008 }}

The Society is one of the constituent organisations of ESSA.{{cite web| title =ESSA – Exhibiting Societies of Scottish Artists| url =http://www.essa-scottishart.com/history.htm| access-date =2009-05-03| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090228080224/http://www.essa-scottishart.com/history.htm| archive-date =28 February 2009}}