I love this space. Sadly it looks a bit forbidding from the outside. It doesn't feel like one could…read morejust go inside, but one can and one should. Its specialising in photography and it is showing solo as well as group exhibitions. The art work is always so beautiful and I'm always tempted to buy something. The prices are not unreasonable, but I wouldn't expect them to sell things under a grand.

Hamilton's is very high end. A closed door gallery with a private collection of pieces that may be…read moreavailable for sale either in this here place, or at one of the nearby auction houses like Christie's

This framing shop has been on Portobello Road for as long as I can remember - that's quite a long…read moretime and it is my default place for having pictures framed. I think they used to have a workshop downstairs but now everything is taken to some place in the country - average turnaround time is 2 weeks. What is very confusing is the name ... I'm pretty sure they were simply called Portobello Framing at some point, the invoice states Ware Frames Ltd, the listing here is for Creaser Framing while the shop's current website simply refers to 316, i.e. the shop's house number. What remains is a reliable framing service and some good art on the walls - wouldn't quite call this a gallery, but some of it is for sale, so there. Considering how many items I have had framed here over the years, I am a bit perturbed to be asked for full payment in advance (used to be a 50% deposit which makes a lot more sense) - now they hold both your art and your money, all you have is a slip of paper and a promise. I can understand this practice at a shoe menders - after all, they are stuck with smelly old boots. Service levels are more local amenities than art gallery, too. Measuring up and advising clients does take it's time, granted, but there would be no harm in acknowledging those waiting their turn ... they do have a captive market! If it was possible, I would give this 3.5 stars rather than 4, but 3 just feel to mean as they really do produce excellent work.

The first time I stepped into the Ambika3, also called P3, I was under the impression it was a pop…read moreup location, as one had to go around and through a building site and it all looked very makeshift. That was a year ago. It's still looked the same now. Then and now I went to see "The Other Art Fair" (I'm not gone review the fair, but the space it was located in) in this location. Its hidden away entrance surrounded by construction fences and building equipment gives it a very upcoming, unknown underground art feeling. Which is appropriate as the space is underground and has been created from a former concrete construction hall. Yes, the images forming in your head are exactly right. It's a huge space made out of concrete. It's middle part - let's call it atrium for the lack of a better word, is several storeys high and has a two galleries going around it. One of them is hosting a cafe, which smelt very much like any old greasy spoon with days old fat in the fryer. Not the best of smell when trapped underground. Once we went down into the main area - the entrance was on one of the galleries - it became obvious that the space was much bigger that first anticipated as it extents further into the building as a maze of concrete tunnels and rooms. I can see this place being amazing with some clever lightning and strategically placed modern art and projections, even as a massive party room ... the options are endless and one could do wonders with the space. Concrete can have its charm as seen in the Barbican and the Tate Tanks, which have the same concrete feeling to them. The Other Art Fair did not do that. It was brightly lit from all corners (I guess it was needed for their purpose), showing all the ugliness of it and taking away the striking visual opportunities of modern architecture and engineering. One needs to come again and see it when its dressed up for another event.

Have to agree with the previous poster. The things in the window look really good but the service…read moreonce inside was terrible. I was kept waiting for ages and really made to feel a nuisence. On the plus side, the picture that I had framed was done really well. Would have been nice if they had kept me updated with the progress as promised, rather than waiting until I contacted them

The prints and frames on offer look to be nice enough. However, the service I received on getting…read morean estimate would keep me out of this shop. It was a small custom job, to be fair, but I was treated like it was beneath them to bother with it. I've often walked past and thought oh, that's really pretty, but not been tempted back in because I don't want to support businesses who treat their potential customers, no matter the size of the job, so shoddily.

I really like new pens. Of course no one needs pens anymore so I just buy them to open things that…read morecome in those impenetrable plastic cases - biros have really strong nibs. Anyway, this place does a lot of them. They also sell cards and paints, all sorts of art supplies and there are services too, photocopying, laminating and the like. They do plenty of kid friendly colouring-in sets, books and cards as well. So, basically they've got the farty bit of arty covered. (Not saying your kids are farty obv.) Good place and the staff there are always pretty eager to help - all in all, well stoked and well looked after.

When you are an art or design student this is the kind of place that saves the day. They have all…read moreyou might need in the areas of stationary, photocopies, and also material for painting, drawing, sketching. I like that it's not a chain, and that the people that work there are so helpful and nice.

They did an amazing job with the framing, and my picture has turned out looking so professional…read more I'm incredibly happy with it! Prices and time were great too. Never attempting to frame my own photos again - I'll always come here. Most importantly, the people who run the shop are very very kind.

Very disappointing shop, would never use again. Was given a specific date when my picture would be…read moreframed by and that they would call me to let me know when it was ready. They didn't call me and the picture wasn't ready on time. The picture itself was badly framed and they'd managed to cover too much of the picture with the mount, poor quality. I was polite when I picked up the picture and didn't mention any of this but judging by the dirty look I got from the owner on the way out when I happened to glance back combined with the poor service and a previous instance where I visited the shop to get a quote and was seemingly mocked by their staff they don't want people who aren't white in their shop. They should have a 'whites only' sign above the door. Avoid at all costs.

The more I go to studio spaces in Hackney, the more they remind me of this time I spent in…read moreFriedrichshain in Berlin. For those that have not been there before, studio spaces in the area are nearly imperceptible from the outside and are usually within buildings that you think have been left derelict for months until you open the door and notice a huge hive of creative activity. I was immediately reminded of that experience when I was told about Economy Projects the place that used to be called now and then. It's in a studio on Martello Street and surprisingly easy to miss. I did - several times and there's no sign, just a white battered door that I imagine could have been a wholesale storage space a few decades ago. If you see a big, battered white door with the number 10 by the wall you're in the right place. Especially if it's daubed with red graffiti. The margin for error is small, as I don't believe they have many neighbours. I went to see a really funny show by Sofia Buchardi in the summer. Reading the beginning of the press release on entering the space (it said Binary is the language of successive contradictions) I assumed I would be awash with pretentious guff, but her work was actually a very zeitgeisty bit of critique about how our information society is taking over our lives to a ridiculous extent. A truer word could not have been said. They also offer studio space if you're an artist looking to create work. With the price of rents going down you might be able to score yourself a deal. I'd advise popping down here during first Thursdays only: I have found their opening times to be intermittent and the last thing you want to be doing is hanging around. The contact numbers on their site don't work either! Typical! But on the plus side it's near London fields, so you can easily head down to the market if it turns out to be closed.

Really unusual selection of street art and sculpture. irregular opening hours so best to ring…read morefirst. Well worth a rummage.