I LOVED the Brighton Museum. I was beyond pleasantly surprised…read more The museum is in a lovely building right beside the Royal Pavilion, so there is no reason why you cannot pay it a visit. The collections were rather hodgepodge, and sometimes it was difficult to figure out the connecting theme of what I was looking at, but everything was interesting - from the little alcove about Ancient Egypt to the Main Hall to the exhibits on Clothing as well as Modern Art (and I don't even care for modern art.) This museum also had a quality that escapes most others - it was great for both adults and children. I can easily say that, of all the sights I saw during my day in Brighton, this was definitely my favourite.

I always enjoy a visit to a museum, what's not to love about learning for free?…read moreSet in the heart of Brighton's Royal Pavillion gardens, you can really feel the culture when you visit the area. If you're stuck for ideas on what to do in Brighton when the weather is less than ideal, you could do much worse than making the trip here. Although small, the museum houses some interesting collections. My personal highlights are the Egyptology section and the history of Brighton room. Seeing the old photos of the west pier in all its glory and how the Pavillion looked over the years is fascinating.

Bellis gallery sells not only artwork, but a collection of aromatherapy, which gave the shop a…read moredelightful smell - I think it was lavender. Much of the art was hanging on the walls - oil paintings ranging from £450 - £1200. My favourite was a large abstract piece painted onto handmade paper. Other unique items included eco-friendly, recycled lace light fixtures for between £30 -£ 55; silk scarves from Turkey and delicately crafted silver jewellery. For the Christmas season, there were several tree ornaments and a selection of Christmas cards handmade by artists.

This shop-come-gallery specialises in handmade crafts and jewellery by local artists and designers…read more The store itself is a large open space, with clean white walls and wooden floorboards. Beautiful ceramics, bone china ornaments and jewellery line the displays, alongside handmade lights and lampshades, woven coasters and paintings. Each product is complemented by a description of the artist behind the creation detailing how it was made. A stunning collection of glass infused porcelain jewellery by local artist Neil Sykes is available, including his ceramic star shaped buttons. There is also a lovely selection of handmade, brightly coloured, hardback notebooks, perfect for diaries, if a little expensive. Sculptures and canvas oil paintings can be found on the other side of the shop, as well as striking drawings from Brighton illustrator Harriet Butler. One of Butler's most interesting drawings, of the Duke of York cinema, has pride of place amongst the rope and anchor draped window display. Although you'll be hard pressed to find a bargain in here, you can get your hands on some really unique and beautiful things, and be safe in the knowledge that you're supporting Brighton's artistic communities.

I have been to few exhibitions here, and look forward to my end of year project being displayed so…read moreclose to the city center! The exhibitions are always free and open to the public, and it is a great place to get inspiration from other students.

Located next to Hector's House the University of Brighton Gallery plays host to numerous events and…read moreexhibitions throughout the year. As these are mostly free and open to the public it's worth keeping tabs on the Gallery's various happenings. Whether walking past or visiting I've seen many inspiring student exhibitions. While some displays lack the kind of impact you'd expect from a professional art show, most leave you with a lasting impression. Admittedly when one says student exhibition certain preconceptions come to mind but none of these notions are usually fulfilled. The talent is in a surprising abundance. The future of art appears to be in good hands.

I have noticed this shop when I have been in the Southover Grange gardens before, but I had never…read moreventured in. I expected it to be small, but actually it expands down the length of the north wing of Southover Grange House. It is a shop/gallery which sells the work of the Sussex guild, a group of designers artists and craftspeople, whose members live and work in Sussex and the surrounding area. The various artists' and designers' work for sale includes pottery, jewellery, furniture and art. It ranges in price and style, from homey crockery painted with cartoon-y chickens, to elegantly painted silk clothing, to wooden furniture for upwards of two grand a piece. The guild also runs classes, such as how to make fused glass jewellery, or turn wooden bowls, or do quilting. To inquire about courses you can telephone or visit the shop.

This shop/gallery is inside the grange next to the tearooms. There are lots of beautiful arts and…read morecrafts in there. With everything from embroidered cards and pictures, to hats, bags, clothes, gorgeous jewellery, glasswork, workwork (the wooden bowls are amazing, but you do pay for their beauty!), paintings, furniture. A lot of it is a bit out of my price range i have to admit, but its very inspiring to look round and see what people have crafted out of various materials. Its the sort of place that leaves you wanting to go home and make something!

A lovely art gallery in a converted garage, Boxbird is run by local illustrator Graham Carter and…read morehis partner, print enthusiast Alice Teague. Together they have created a fun space that houses a sweet selection of limited edition screen and giclee prints, papercuts, woodcuts and originals. As well as showcasing Graham's recent work, there's pieces by aspiring and established local and national artists like Sally Elford, Zara Wood, Sam Chivers, Lucie Sheridan, Fanny Shorter and Anna Kyriaouc. They recently had an exhibition inspired by cult films but over all, the themes that seem to link most of the artists together is nostalgia and a passion for nature and the great outdoors. The variation of different trees, birds, owls, kids and patterns is a little too twee and innocent for my walls but plenty of people seem to adore them!

This gallery has a great set up with a printmaking studio at the back of a small gallery space, so…read moreyou can see a bit of where the action happens. Most shows have a commercial or illustrative slant and are largely screen-print based, a visit will most likely not be a difficult or challenging viewing experience, more playful.

This is a small shopping development specialising in food and arts and crafts. It is located in an…read moreattractive Victorian building, which in its 140-year life has been a shoe factory, engineering works and a garage and car-repair works. As the name suggests, it is next to the bridge over the River Ouse. It has now been fully renovated into a small but bright shopping facility, with two cafes, a florist, butcher, fishmonger, cheese shop, chocolatier, a small commercial art gallery and a craft shop. It's a little cramped inside, but the stalls are lovely to wander around, and it adds a little character to Cliffe High Street.

This shopping & eating experience is on a small scale but big on local produce. Its a venue that…read moresuits all tastes. Here can be found 2x licensed restaurants,fish monger,cheese shop,florist,butcher,sweet shop,gallery and craft shop. What more can a shopper need? The stall holders are happy to talk about their products. They seem to be really into their stock.

I love the choices of artwork that you can find in this framing and art gallery. My favourite…read moreartist is Colin Ruffell who creates modernist, abstract canvases that are also soft and colourful. The prints aren't all that expensive either, starting at just £20 although that's only for an A5 size. However, if you want something larger, say, A2, then you'll be paying £140 and up and that's just for the print. Framing will probably double that, but if you can afford it, it's a wonderful luxury to get something of superior quality that matches your decor.

This is a rather pleasant, contemporary art gallery, predominantly displaying works produced by…read moreBrighton artists, generally depicting scenes from the area. You'll find some nice paintings, prints, and photos, with a particularly large number of the latter detailing the dilapidation of West Pier. The items inside would probably look great on many a bedroom, pub or club wall, but are sadly priced outside what a student could afford.

I imagine it must be quite exciting to have an art gallery just for your own work. Gallery 94 in…read morethe North Lanes displays and sells the work of local artist Simon Royer. Many of the pieces have a coast/nature theme coming across in various styles. Paintings range from small works on canvas for around £50 each, to large multi-media displays for closer to £7000. Wow-y. Other prints are offered both framed and unframed; from £70 - a few hundred pounds each. Sculptures of animals - particularly fish - are really lovely, and come in both figurines and as pieces to hang on a wall or from the ceiling. Unique items include crafted wine bottle corks and bathtub stoppers. Very cute. A few pieces of jewellery are also available - mostly silver pendants and earrings. Whilst most of the prices are quite high, it's still worth coming into look around as the art work is quite impressive, and inspired by the local landscape.