Known as one of Scotland’s greatest painters, Dame Blackadder passed away in August last year at the age of 89. She studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and later became a lecturer at the institution.

Born in Falkirk, she was the first woman to become an elected member of the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy. She became a dame two years after her appointment as Her Majesty’s painter and limner in 2001 in Scotland.

With a value of over £7m, the RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest will initiate a wide series of opportunities including new prizes, bursaries and travel awards for graduates and mid-career artists.

Based on Dame Blackadder’s wishes, the bequest will be invested to support a range of new initiatives that will be launched in 2023. Each year, over 60 artists will directly benefit from funding from the bequest.

RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Awards

• RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Travel Awards - two annual awards of £3,000 for final year painting students at Edinburgh Collage of Art for international study.
• RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Travelling Scholarships - two annual awards of £5,000 for mid-career artists out of art school for at least 15 years for travel to promote research and development of practice.
• RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Scholarship - an annual award of £20,000 for a painter out of art school for at least 15 years (or equivalent time of substantive practice) to support a six-month career break or sabbatical.
• RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest Bursary - an annual award to support postgraduate education for a Scottish painter graduating from Edinburgh College of Art for continuing studies elsewhere or for a Scottish painter to continue their postgraduate education at ECA.

The academy has announced it will host a collection of Dame Blackadder and her husband, John Houston. An exhibition will open in August 2023.

Colin Greenslade, director of the Royal Scottish Academy, said: “Elizabeth and her husband John Houston had a life immersed in art. From student-life in the 1950s through to their long careers as lecturers at Edinburgh College of Art and as practicing artists, their connections spanned generations.

“They formed a supportive nucleus at the heart of a wide circle of friends, students, colleagues, lecturers and fellow Academicians. It is wonderful that this support and encouragement will continue towards the artist community through this magnificent gift.

“Historically, the Royal Scottish Academicians and their families have enabled generous gifts to the Academy to provide vital support for artists through bursaries, travel awards and exhibitions.

“The scale of this latest gift from Dame Elizabeth Blackadder will enable unprecedented additional support to artists across a range of ages and experience. It will have a significant impact, widening this support to a greater number of artists on a continuing annual basis.”

The trustees of the Blackadder Houston Trust added: “We are pleased to make available a permanent collection of Elizabeth’s and John’s work to help researchers, scholars, curators and artists.

We are delighted that the RSA have so comprehensively embraced Elizabeth’s and John’s wishes, to include exciting plans for scholarships and bursaries into the long-term future.”