This new entry to Albion Street in the centre of town is truly a breath of fresh air. This…read moreparticular street is quite clogged with coffee shops and eateries as it is and so the addition of an art gallery shop is the perfect answer for diversity. The store itself is laid out like an art gallery with relaxing white space with which to adorn the artwork - perfect for maintaining an uncluttered feel with such a variety of artists on show. There is the main space on the ground floor and a further gallery down the narrow stairs. The lady who was working when I popped in was absolutely lovely, she was really friendly and talkative about the shop, but didn't push to sell me anything which I always appreciate. The art itself was wonderful and diverse, from the kitsch cutesy cow art by Caroline Shotten, to the modern pop-art stark portraits of Simon Claridge, to the bold graffiti art of Ge Feng there was something for everyone. My difficulty is that I could have purchased all of their pieces, since diversity is what I like best, however at around £400+ per painting I simply couldn't afford to be impulsive. I certainly don't think that it is overly expensive - art is quite often underpriced and undervalued, but in my current state of pauperdom I would have to really fall in love to make such a spend. If you are lucky enough to have that kind of cash to spend, I suggest you search for a gift in this gallery. You will find something unique and delightful herein.

I couldn't agree more with the first review. This is such a wonderful place to step into and at the…read moremoment they have a sale on so there are loads of completely juxtaposing pieces. From cartoon like paintings to classical fine art portraits of bare ladies. Rather scruffy looking as I was at the time I was pleased coercive such a warm welcome from the lady, Angela, who was working at the time I entered. Some truly breathtaking art work on display and ready for someone to buy and proudly display, unfortunately I need a new par of climbing boots before I buy anything else.

I was sooooo looking forward to the opening of this Prime historic cornerstone of Leeds City…read morecentre. The iconic building has been brought to life with art space and The Tetley kitchen. A lot of the original features have been preserved in the building and its lovely to get a venue at the Hunslet end of town with such grandeur! So, in to the Tetley kitchen we ventured for lunch! I hope that they sort out the little 'flaws' such as too many staff but no-one doing much, not being able to have a tab unless you're eating in the restaurant and the confusion over which is the 'correct' entrance! Anyway, they have a good selection of drinks both alcoholic & non-alcoholic so we purchased and had a look at the menu which has slight variations depending on if you sit in the 'bar area' or the restaurant. As there wasn't much available space in the bar we went for the quieter option and got a table in the restaurant. The setting is a mix of old & new. Quite simple and works well. The menu offers a good mix of dishes. My dining companion ordered mushrooms on toast followed by fish & chips and I ordered Homity pie (for something a bit different) The mushrooms on toast went down well, the portion was a bit small though. A mixture of mushrooms in a creamy sauce on sourdough toast- it didn't hang around long! The mains took a little while to come out and when they did we both had a little disappointment. The peas on the fish and chips were stone cold! the fish & chips were lovely but this took the shine off really. The Homity pie I was expecting to be with a 'pie' crust and it wasn't! It was basically mash potato, leeks which were on the bitter side and a nice undertone of cheese. I'd asked for a side of chips so it was a spud overload! I would go again, possibly not order the same food, and be tempted to just sit in the bar. I can see the potential and what they're tryig to achieve but it needs a bit more 'polish'.

So these days the idea of being stuck in a pub with just Tetley on scares me. Happily their old…read morecorporate headquarters has been turned into a more arts orientated building now - though still sign posted 'Brewery' as you approach. It's just over the river from the central area of Leeds. There's a couple of sculpture pieces outside, which I liked. The galleries are upstairs, in the old boardrooms and directors offices, which are fine wood panelled rooms - not your traditional gallery space. There's maybe 9 rooms, of which half have Tetley related art, and the other half more contemporary pieces. The guide is pretty handy, and there's an attendant around to make sure you don't stand on the floor based art, which you could easily do if you're distracted by your mobile figuring out your day lalala. It didn't take me that long to go round it. Probably just longer than walking there. It was worth it, but I think perhaps a few more pieces are needed. I didn't venture into the bar, but it felt homely with large leather chesterfields to relax on, and good music playing on the jukebox, a decent range of food, and a display of A LOT of old Tetley beer bottles. Will be interesting to see how it evolves.

Admittedly, I don't often visit the galleries and museums in Leeds, and that's a huge faux pas on…read moremy part. It's not through a lack of interest in art, nor a lack of intention, but the classic 'I never seem to find the time' excuse rears its ugly head and six months have passed and I still haven't had a look in to some of Leeds' more cultural and exciting spaces. Shame on me. So, when I realised I was available to see the third installment of 'The Grief Series: What is left' last night at Leeds Gallery, I dived on the opportunity. Let me explain what I know about The Leeds Gallery. It's a new (ish) space in Leeds for exhibitions, and a welcome one, since it offers something very different to the stalwart that is the Leeds Art Gallery on the other side of town. From all the exhibitions I have read about (sign up to their newsletter for the latest) the focus is a far cry from the more classic art collection you can find across the way. For starters, it's a commercial gallery, which means you can actually purchase art there. They specialise in photography, fine art and illustration, which means you get a fantastic range of art to peruse- I'm still regretting not making it over to see the Back 2 Basics flyer exhibition. One of the other major boons is that the gallery is attached to Café 164, which means you can while away a good hour or so taking in what's on, and the bob next door for a fantastic cuppa and piece of cake. And when I say fantastic, I mean fantastic. The exhibition last night was one night only deal, but even so, incredibly well displayed and brilliantly interactive. The exhibition displayed portraits of people, holding/wearing an object they had inherited from someone that they had lost, as part of The Grief Series ongoing research and development project. (Look it up, it's really worth checking out.) Each portrait came with a booklet, with excerpt transcripts from the audio where they were discussing the object and the person connected to it, which you could listen to via headphones whilst looking at the portraits. A lovely touch was that each portrait had a chair -armchair/stool -to sit on whilst listening and viewing.Essentially, the exhibition was fantastic, thought provoking, and really well put together. Just hearing and seeing the range of different people discuss loss through an object that linked them to their person was fascinating to be immersed in, and certainly made me think. So. Essentially, what I need to do is get out and see more. With an ever changing range of emerging and established talent, programme of events and more, this place is certainly not to be overlooked. Take a constitutional down past the bus station, and head for Munro House.

From the owner: The Gallery at Munro House is an independent gallery, art shop, exhibition and event space in…read moreLeeds. The Gallery exhibits and represents artists and designers practicing in photography, illustration, painting, print, sculpture, animation, film and graphic design. Alongside our rolling, month-by-month exhibition programme, the Gallery is available to hire for exhibitions, corporate functions, launches, screenings, events, workshops and more. Our in-house café - Café 164 - is a fully licensed eat-in and take-away sandwich shop and espresso bar, selling an extensive selection of sandwiches, soup, salads and cakes made in-house and sourced from specially selected local suppliers, including the famous ciabatta and focaccia sandwiches from their sister shop by the University of Leeds - Bakery 164; these include Vegan and Vegetarian options. The café offers a range of speciality teas, coffee is direct trade and all milk is organic. Also available are a selection of beers and wine, as well as soft drinks and snacks.

Having got a very generous amount of cash as wedding presents we decided that it would be good to…read morehave a painting with it all to remember our wedding day, Whitewall had exactly what we wanted a Rolf Harris print that looked amazing. The staff are knowledgeable and very helpful, if they dont have a painting they will happily help find it online and see if they can get it. Even when if like me you cant quite remember the name of the artist you are looking for I was fortunate the painting we wanted was in store and could be secured with a small deposit, which we did allowing us to go on honeymoon knowing the painting was ours and could be picked up when we return. As these things go we did have a small hiccup in the shape of a crack in the glass however this is quickly being remedied and the staff could not have been more apologetic, its easy to be good when things go smoothly but Whitewall are good even when things go wrong

Project Space Leeds, or PSL, is an independent, artist-led contemporary art space. Located in the…read morebasement of the Whitehall Waterfront complex, it is barely a five minute detour out of the city centre in the newly billed West End of Leeds. But what an interesting meander it oft turns out to be. The art space was founded in 2006 by a few curators, working alongside a local property developer. It stages exhibitions of 'modern and contemporary art across all art forms.' During a recent visit to the gallery, I was fortunate enough to be able to browse the current exhibition. Entitled 'I Can Still See You', artist Diane Howse has combined a number of film stills and home movie footage to display and examine the intricacies of British life during World War II. The images are poignant at times, incredibly moving, and occasionally merely informative. Images depicting details of war which are now alien to our modern eyes, such as gas masks and equipment, are extremely intriguing, a reminder to what has preceded our existence. Supported by the Arts Council and Leeds City Council, art is sold commercially at PSL, and would be an original addition to the home. With a venue so dedicated to enabling local talent to flourish whilst putting the gallery on the national and international radar, Project Space Leeds does a fantastic job within the artistic community.

I can't make my mind up about this space. On the one hand I think its great that there is a…read morecontemporary art venue in Leeds that is fully engaged in the visual art discourse on a local and national level. It is refreshing to see an independent space that is run by artists, for artists. They host some cutting edge exhibitions and events but on the other hand I have found some of these and the work in them, unaccessible, visually and intellectually. I don't let this bother me too much though and am always willing to see new exhibitions. My favorite so far has to be 195 Miles, on a couple of years ago. The artist Janis Rafailidou had a live horse as part of her installation in the gallery during the opening event. The space is open only during exhibitions so be sure to check what's on before you wander along the canal. Its not a hugely convenient place to get to but there probably isn't a space like it to be found in a city centre building. It exists on the ground floor of a recent high-rise development and is perfectly warehouse-like for a contemporary gallery, I mean project space.

James Macintyre & Co specialise in floral pottery, lamps and a range of other home ware as well as…read morecards and artwork with a similar style. The products all have a vintage and quite pretty art nouveau style with gently curving plants and highly stylised flowers and insects. The aesthetic runs throughout the shop, though with a wide range of variations on the theme. The smaller items like cards and picture frames are good if you like the style, but aren't prepared to splash out on a lamp. The shop is compact, with a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere and helpful staff.

This shop specialises in art pottery and has a vast selection of vases and art work for your home…read more They have some really unusual pieces and some are actually quite humorous. They have catalogues that you can choose items from to be ordered and also offer gift cards, lamp bases and shades and collections from Prestige Moorcroft. The shop is small and homely, pop in and have a look around.