Clare Henry examines how the Royal Scottish Academy should move into the next century

Old hat? Predictable? Stuffy. An old boys' club? Loads of work by members and no room for newcomers? That's how many - perhaps most - of Britain's younger artist see our academies and institutions: the Royal Academy, the Glasgow Institute, and the Royal Scottish Academy. Not surprising really.

The stranglehold exerted on these big annual exhibitions by misguided RSAs is long-standing and notorious. The result? In an effort to keep control of what they have, they kill it off. New blood is essential for progress. We have all seen what's happened to the RGI, now dead in the water.

The RSA was beginning to head in the same direction, but this year, so I'm told: ''Some members have tried to break down the dam. So it would be a pity if the water didn't rush through!'' New president Ian McKenzie Smith, aided and abetted by a more outspoken and lively bunch, is the new broom who takes the RSA into the next century. How he does this, and how he attracts the next generation, remains to be seen.

One idea would be to forge links with recent graduates. The RSA has a terrific annual student show, but then no-one follows through. Invited groups - thirtysomething artists, fiftysomething folk; abstractionists, stone carvers - would be one way of attracting people who don't normally submit.

Statistically it's all too easy for RSA members to dominate annual exhibitions. There is a premium on space but they automatically show three oil paintings or three big sculptures plus three drawings or watercolours. Non-RSAs must submit - and pay - for the privilege in the full knowledge that rejection is pretty sure. This year there were 1204 submissions; 767 rejections; 260 works by non-members got in, two more than last year. Meanwhile 20 members failed to submit, leaving 60 members showing 177 works.

Certainly, this year's head hanger David Michie has done a good job. The main rooms look handsome, and are not over-busy. I especially liked the idea of transforming the ''dead'' balcony area into a proper space and grouping smaller, non-RSA works there. The memorial tribute to three Dundonians, David McClure, Alberto Morrocco, and James McIntosh Patrick (all superb artists and hugely popular people), takes over Room III. The dim lighting is on account of loan restrictions - giving what are vivid, cheerful pictures a funereal air. Not the RSA's fault - but institutional lenders should keep a sense of proportion and keep their conservators in check.

Centre stage in the main Room II are 41 pictures by members with 13 non-members scattered around for democracy's sake. Among the latter, I was interested in Thomas Ryan's Summer Garden, David Warrillow's hyper-realist Bread, and Jim Tweedie's splendidly surreal Gathering of Santas and Stork. Among members, I admired Alexander Fraser's family self-portrait compositions especially Muchalls with Siamese; Earl Haig's oil; Ian McCulloch's powerful End of Time triptych, (one of his best); and Ian Howard's masterly Martyrs with their scientific pipettes and glass flasks hinting at mercurial alchemy. Michie's own Ibiza landscape with its high-key Matisse overtones, Blackadder's Orchid still life, Barbara Balmer's Padua, Joyce Cairns's angst-ridden Polish Journey, and McKenzie Smith's floating blue and green abstracted Moscow Pine all have the sort of authority one would expect from senior Scots.

Now that women RSA members are fractionally increasing (only five female RSAs among 36), I wonder when they will appoint a woman as president? Don't hold your breath! In Room IV notable pictures include Barbara Rae's vibrant Painted Desert triptych inspired by Navajo snakes, stick figures, spirals, and lizard men carved into the rocks in Arizona. A relief to see brand-new work completed specially for the RSA. The same room contains a deal of stylistic variety: abstraction from James Robertson's Inlet and Michael Docherty's red rust Sausalito; attractive decoration by William Littlejohn (Dunfermline award) plus James Spence's Bull, Marian Leven's dramatically brooding Black Sky Summer Isles, and Brent Millar's Love Birds.

Room V stands out because of Eileen Lawrence's magnificent iconic diptych, Sun Temple and Mesa Verde in sanguine earth colours and white. However, I do wonder about such a massive piece dominating an entire space and taking up most of a wall. As members' pictures get bigger it might be an idea to restrict the total size, thus making RSA artists choose between one big or three average-size works. This would immediately allow more space for non-members.

Room V also contains other strong pictures - but then they need to be to compete with Lawrence's gigantic offering! I like Neil Macpherson's rich red/green Tender Journey of a country couple setting out hand in hand down life's path (it won the Highland Prize); Adrian Wiszniewski's psychedelic Raspberryade; Annette Edgar's excellent red Mexican Road with its teepee tent and winding wall; Jenny Smith's cream on cream calligraphy; Coates-Walker's Y2K relief; Harvey Duke's big dark wire and wood Citadel; plus Sara Gallie's Latimer prize abstract.

The Balcony's smaller scale accommodates pictures like Ann Patrick's Primavera, Peter Thomson's offbeat Totie Puss, Greig's Capercaillie, Baillie's Buskers, and McRae's lovely portrait of Rosalind. I did enjoy Liz Murray's sensitive white collage. Balcony pictures by Ian Charles Scott and Eddie Summerton relate to their other work in the main rooms. Only Summerton could paint false teeth so enticingly, and Scott's Coronation of the Last Scottish King is especially apt right now, along with Alasdair Wallace's Guthrie award-winning fiery Field.

The Sculpture Court is refreshing, perhaps because the mix is always better here. Beautiful, traditional nudes by Vincent Butler and Michael Snowden sit next to a wild copper Tree of Life and elegant stone carved cup by Marion Smith. Then there's Martin Rayner's zany colourful carvings and Arthur Watson's recycled Two Seas, giving his Venice Biennale sculpture a conceptual twist. Frank Pottinger, Fred Bushe, and Doug Cocker exert their usual flair while Joyce Wiseman, Julia Gardiner, and Allan Watson follow Jake Harvey's minimal example. And don't miss the designs for the New Scottish Parliament building exhibited in the architecture room together with Usida Finlay's Glasgow's Homes for the Future.

For as long as I can remember the RSA has badly needed restoration. We all know the roof leaks - we see the buckets; hear the drips. More serious is the fundamental underpinning. The RSA building, designed by Playfair in 1822, is sinking. Because it's owned by the State and administered by the National Galleries, one would think its future is assured - but it's taking a long time. Now I gather building work begins in earnest next year, with a tunnel planned to connect the RSA with the National Gallery next door.

Many good artists get rejected by the RSA if the name - or the size of the work - doesn't fit. None of the three showing at Glasgow's Loft Gallery, a great sky studio space at the top of 71 Houldsworth Street, Finnieston, fits the regular RSA category. Their work is fuelled by primeval urges, universal beliefs, and iconic motifs reduced to their essence.

Jila Peacock, Christine Ironside, and Flora O'Neill met by accident. Quickly they recognised that they all shared a similar vision and lush, high-key palette, so they decided to exhibit together. It makes a compelling display. Another West End venue, the Hughson Gallery in Cleveden Gardens, presents an interesting show of abstraction by French artist, Bertrand Bracaval.