National Treasure: The Scottish Modern Arts Association

The Scottish Modern Arts Association was founded in Edinburgh in 1907. Established by artists and their supporters, the organisation aimed to secure for the nation a representative collection of modern Scottish art. For more than fifty years, it actively acquired work by leading contemporary artists, building an outstanding collection of over 300 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. The majority of these artworks were transferred to the City of Edinburgh when the association disbanded in the 1960s, and they are now maintained by the City Art Centre. National Treasure: The Scottish Modern Arts Association reveals the story of this unique collection, and the artists represented in it. Featuring work by the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists, as well as individuals such as William McTaggart, John Duncan, Anne Redpath and Joan Eardley, this major two-floor exhibition celebrates Scottish art at the dawn of modernism. National Treasure is presented as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2022.