01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC015549
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Wider, but within one local authority area
- Volunteers
- 0 volunteers
- Staff
- 0
- Postcode
- EH9 2BB
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
The Society was founded in 1821 as 'The Society for the Encouragement of the Useful Arts in Scotland' and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1841. It was concerned with the fields that we would now describe as science, technology, engineering and manufacture, but which were then known as the useful arts, as opposed to the fine arts. Today the Society aims to showcase Scotland's Science, technology and Innovation, mainly through a monthly lecture programme, excursions, promotion of Honorary Fellows, and the award of prizes. The lecture programme is given by excellent public speakers, who are distinguished in their fields of study, and the topics cover a wide range of scientific and technical issues, all pertinent to the Scotland in which we live today. Members of the public are welcome to attend these lectures either in person or on Zoom. Recordings are kept of lectures (when permitted by the lecturer).
Charitable purposes
- the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
Encouraging the useful arts in Scotland, under, inter alia, the following conditions, 'That this sum is on no account to be encroached upon but the interest from it is to be applied in sums of money or medals in rewarding Inventions, Improvements or discoveries in the useful Arts, which shall be primarily submitted to the Society.
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 August 2025 | £7,801 | £6,351 | 0 | 20 May 2026 |
| 31 August 2024 | £8,328 | £11,037 | 0 | 14 December 2024 |
| 31 August 2023 | £7,395 | £8,021 | 0 | 12 May 2024 |
| 31 August 2022 | £33,828 | £36,600 | 0 | 16 May 2023 |
| 31 August 2021 | £6,131 | £5,368 | 0 | 25 May 2022 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- 23 Queen's Crescent, Edinburgh
- Website supplied to OSCR
- https://www.rssa.org.uk/
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.