Certainly not a fancy gallery, the building itself is if anything slightly run down; none of that…read morereally matters though, as I was most impressed by the actual exhibitions and the staff, which make this gallery worth a visit. The building is not too large, there are only really three rooms with art on display (one of them is rather minuscule). Whilst this inevitably makes the exhibitions small, I believe the available space is effectively used and the work on display is integrated seamlessly. The gallery generally houses exhibitions with pieces focusing on the topic of pre and post apartheid South Africa. Whilst mainly works of photography, there are one or two sculptures, and there are two installations which feature a projector. I found the present exhibition to be: - fascinating, evocative, odd, thought provoking, and on occasion slightly disturbing; reactions that I'm sure the gallery and the artists featured would desire. I was particularly impressed by the staff, who were both incredibly knowledgeable yet un patronising (they really offered a wealth of information). Unless you're particularly fascinated by art of South African origin, I wouldn't recommend making a trip to Penarth solely to visit this gallery, advice which is not issued in criticism, but due to the small size of the gallery (it would only take you 30mins at the most to explore). Penarth however is a fantastic little area of South Wales, so I recommend that you combine a trip to this gallery with a visit to other local attractions.

I'm a big fan of this gallery…read more Despite living just down the road from it for a number of months, I only really ventured in for the first time last week. I was pleasantly surprised by the modern and professional atmosphere that I suddenly found myself in. I'm not entirely sure what I had been expecting, but it was certainly not the wonderful photographic presentation before me. Although the gallery is small, they do a lot to maximise their space and put their artwork together in a thought provoking and interesting way, rather than just hanging it on the wall. This is a lovely gem not far from the train station, Penarth Pier and lots of cafes. I advise you to make a day of it.

who wouldn't enjoy a bacon and egg roll with a pork snag thrown in for good measure all enjoyed on…read morea beautiful victorian Pier? My dad calls Pork Snags, Snorkers... I don;t know wether he is enlightened or demented.

The Norwegian church is an art centre, performance space, and cafe, located on the waterfront of…read moreCardiff Bay. The church was originally built as a place of Lutheran worship, and was consecrated in 1868. It was built to serve the large number of Norwegian sailors coming into Cardiff's port at the time. The Norwegian Seamens' Mission was located here, and provided, as well as a place of worship, a place to find support and community for sailors away from home. In time, it also became the centre of a permanent expatriate Norwegian community. Perhaps its most famous member was Roald Dahl was baptised here, and worshipped with his family as a child. Sadly, the church's fortunes reflected those of the port as trade decreased in the post-war period, and it was closed and deconsecrated in 1974. The church was rescued and restored when the former port area was redeveloped in the 1980s. A preservation trust was established, and the church was dismantled and relocated in 1987 (the original site is now occupied by the Wales Millenium Centre). It was re-erected on the current site in 1992 and now hosts art exhibitions, concerts, acts as a venue for weddings, and there is a small cafe. The cafe serves a limited selection of snacks, sandwiches, toasted sandwiches and a range of cakes - coffee and cake seems to be its forte. We went for lunch there before a walk around the Bay - there are lovely views from the window tables across the Bay. We found the menu a bit limited: the toasted paninis come with cheese, or cheese and chutney, or cheese and ham, or... well, you get the picture. None comes with salad or vegetables (not even cheese and tomato). So we opted for the 3 choices above, accompanied by an olive, houmous and toasted bread platter, and a bowl of skin-on fries. It was good value, but let down by having standard sliced white bread with the platter (great olives, but sourdough would have been so much nicer!), and the toasties could have benefited from some side salad. A white bread toastie with just cheese feels a bit underwhelming in 2022. Service was similarly a bit underwhelming: pleasant and efficient enough - but only once we had gone to the counter and asked for a menu so we could make a selection. (No menus on the tables or menu boards.) You get the feeling they would be better concentrating on cakes and patisserie, with coffee: if they going to serve savoury food, a bit more attention to the menu would make a big difference. So, 5/5 for the historic building and location, 3/5 for the cafe (or stick to coffee and cake).

Great place from Hop on bus for a cold Welsh Cider, and a pastry-Rocky Road,Orchard Gold.read more

Craft in the Bay really is a beautiful shop that encompasses all that has changed in the Bay…read more I often wonder around in the brightly lit, all glass store as it is almost a gallery rather than a shop. There is some fantastic sculptures on display is well worth a visit just for that alone. There is also a more traditional part of the shop that sells vases and smaller items, all seemingly hand made as far as my uneducated eyes can tell. Staff are also very friendly here and are always willing to detail a sculpture for you and help in any way they can. Always a pleasant experience upon visiting here.

This modern glass and wood building housing an art and craft gallery showcases contemporary work by…read moremembers of The Makers Guild in Wales, and also hosts a changing programme of national and international exhibitions. Only the best Welsh talent can become members of the Guild, as membership is by rigorous selection - so the work on display is of a very high standard. All of the exhibitions are free to explore, and you can also buy pieces of art and craft, ranging from ceramics to bags and even furniture. Kemi' s Café is housed next door to the gallery, overlooking the Millennium Centre, and is open from 8.30am-4.30pm serving up quality, wholesome food.

Sitting within the confines of St David's 2, the only thing I could afford to buy in this store is…read morea copy of The Fine Art Preview which cost me £2.50. If you're just passing by and don't have £500 or more burning a hole in your pocket then you may well simply pass on by without a second glance. However, if you have an eye for art, or simply know what you like, if something catches your eye whilst walking by, you may find yourself drawn inside for a closer look. I found myself gazing at one of the pieces in the window for around 15 minutes before I realised. When I did realise how long I'd been entangled, I felt obliged to venture inside and see what else they had to offer. Inside I expected to find snobbery and judgement but this simply isn't true. The staff there appeared very down to earth, very willing to just talk about art and to provide as much information for you as they can offer to you. I didn't feel out of place at all, in fact, if I had the money I dare say I would have walked out of there with more than just a magazine. This is a place for all art lovers to visit even if your wallet doesn't meet their price range. I think they have an impressive gallery and are probably highly overlooked, too easily disregarded in the retail environment they are surrounded by.

Inside of the huge new shopping complex of the city centre of Cardiff there's a little art gallery…read morefull of pretty pricey paintings. It's called the Blue Dot Gallery and it's got a wide variety of art available. There's water painting, traditional landscapes, more modern artistic techniques, work by local artists, sculptures, and work by Rolf Harris. You heard correct. The Rolfmeister himself. The art isn't cheap, some pieces can be a few grand, but if you are on the look-out for some art then there are some available for a couple of hundred pound. Now, for the likes of me that is an extortionate amount to pay for anything that isn't, oh I don't know, extra money. But it's not bad value, I suppose. They also offer an option for some pieces to be paid for over a longer period on an interest free basis.

I found this state of the art gallery a few months ago whilst looking for the 'all you can eat'…read moreChinese Restaurant that I've heard so much about, but having forgotten the name, I ended up veering well off the beaten track. Yup, MIA again! Still, all was not lost, as the Bay Art Gallery was a gem of a find! It's, without question, an important contribution to the ever burgeoning art scene in The Big Diff. (Although why there seems to be so much action in this area defies logic considering that the international art scene is in crisis!) Of greatest importance is that the Bay Art Gallery promotes major exhibitions by Welsh artists as well as a number of international artists. In addition, they seem keen to promote "both an understanding of contemporary art as well as the pleasures involved in its comprehension." They host up to six exhibitions per year, and offer a number of courses and workshops that anyone can attend. .

This annual celebration of Welsh design talent takes place each October, packing in stacks of…read moredesign-related events. Aimed at members of the public, businesses and fellow designers, the festival showcases Welsh design by turning the spotlight on a wide range of areas within the sector, hosting talks, exhibitions and even drawing workshops where you can turn up and try out your own design and drawing skills with Cardiff School of Art & Design, and Cardiff Open Art School tutor and artist Christopher Holloway. Events take place in various venues, so you need to check out the website's events page to find out more - for example the drawing workshop mentioned above takes place in a unit within Morgan Arcade, just opposite Neal's Yard Remedies, while other events take place at the art college. The 'Best of Welsh Design' awards event, announcing this year's winners, is also incorporated into the festival - having received submissions earlier in the year (and with the shortlist announced today, 1 October!).

This is definitely one for your diary...!…read more The Cardiff Design Festival really is an annual treat! Hosted at various venues around our nations capital, it is a positively splendid affair! Held every October it showcases 'The Best of Welsh Design', which really is more diverse than you might think! There's also a programme of design related events curated with the intention of educating and informing, as well as to inspire and perhaps even provoke. In addition there's also a series of talks, alongside the exhibitions and events. These run from 1st to 16th October. Don't miss it, especially if you are looking for that wow factor for your home!

Clickity clicks, Gallery 66. Situated in the arcades of town, Gallery 66 is a framing specialist…read morewith art and photo's for sale too. I do love this shop as it feels you've stepped back in time upon entering and sells some fabulous art. It's almost as if this could be put on a ye olde Victorian tour of Cardiff. You may be able to make out the paintings of the galaxy in the pic, I bought one of them. The detail on them are fantastic and is reasonably priced (Under £70), the person who served me as well was so lovely that the whole experience from entering to leaving with my fine painting was an absolute joy. Please visit this place, especially if your visiting Cardiff and want to get a real feel of the culture this city has to offer.

Gallery 66 is possibly my favourite shop in The Royal Arcade. Set up in 1975 by Eva Walters, the…read morebusiness has a firm footing in the customised interior design marketplace. Offering picture framing of varying qualities and style, ranging from conventional frames, canvass stretching to box frames, as well as original artwork and prints sourced from around the globe, signed limited edition prints, in addition to local artwork including commissions, if you are looking for something specifically tailored to your tastes. Gallery 66 is a progressive business that has definitely kept up with the times. These days it provides full-time employment for Dan, (Eva's son, who wasn't even born when the business was launched), an immensely talented artist who works in the medium of print, digitally reworking iconic images, embellishing the original concepts with intelligent and creative adaptations, ultimately creating new and original artwork. Music seems to be a key influence, with album covers and portraits of legendary artists providing much of the inspiration for his work. There's also a very definite interest in graffiti, particularly the work of Banksy. Nina, Eva's daughter is also often in the shop. She comes in to help out when she has time off from pursuing her career as a teaching assistant. Being a family business the service levels are second to none. Eva is a vivacious, smart business woman who really knows her stuff. If you have a space on your wall that needs filling, this is where you need to come!

Not really my taste, art-wise, but worth a visit if you're in Mermaid Quay. I always enjoy a lazy…read morebrowse through any gallery, especially one that's on the same street as Herb & Ellie's and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. I've been in here a few times, most recently to see the Bob Dylan exhibition (quick question - does anyone else wince when one of your favourite musicians pulls the sell-out card? I almost never forgave Bob for appearing in a Victoria's Secret commercial all those years ago, and now Iggy Pop's pimping insurance for Swiftcover?!). Back to the issue at hand. Castle's not an expansive gallery (probably about the size of a corner store), but it still manages to elegantly showcase the artwork of a select few. All of the pieces are priced waaay too far out of my meager range, but as someone who dabbles in drawing and painting, I always find it's nice to get a bit of inspiration, whether it's affordable or not.

You could say I don't know my art from my elbow…read more I know nothing about art, well thats not true, I know how to spell it, but apart from that the knowledge or expertise I possess in the way of art could be painted onto a canvas smaller than a postage stamp. All this declared I enjoy popping into Castle Galleries for a browse. There seems a wide variety of highly acclaimed artist or so they claim anyway. I have no idea whether the contents of this gallery could be described as high art, low art, modern art or commercial art but I enjoy it. And surely that's all that matter isn't it? I've never bought anything because I feel my finances are better well placed in other areas (food, clothes and bills) than buying a piece of art. But should I regularly amass an excess in the money department I could do a lot worse than purchasing a bit of creative beauty (of which there seems a lot on display) from Castle Galleries.