Lets not pretend that we don't all have conversations with our friends or ourselves about what we…read morewould do if we won the Euro Millions roll over this week of £49 million. I admire the brigade that would give it all away to charity and build schools and hospitals in Rwanda; I cannot pretend to understand the ones who say they will buy their council house and continue to work down the mines for 25p a day, and I love My mother when she says " I would give you and your brother 10 million each sweetheart." My particular fantasy is Art. I would buy Art. I would go to Sotherby's and bid on an undiscovered Picasso wearing a wide-brimmed hat and huge glasses like Sophia Loren. No one would know my name, I would be called "the glamorous lady in the hat." Okay, okay, it is just a fantasy but I studied History of Art A'Level and I know how to distinguish a Masaccio from a Donatello. I am not a particular lover of the Post Modernist movement and messed up beds and pickled cows do nothing to inspire me . Yes Art is self expression but I prefer a combination of expression and talent if you please. So you understand now that Art is my dirty little passion and I do not often get the chance to indulge in it. Castle Galleries however is like a porn shop for a person like me! There are pictures everywhere which get my heart racing and my blood pumping. Pictures of ruby red sunsets by Richard Rowan stand beside Parisian Lautrec inspired scenes by Paul Kenton. Caroline Shotton's crazy looking Wallace and Gromit like cows with titles such as; "I Give My Heart To Moo" and "Diamonds Are For Heffers" are comically adorable and I have spotted Sarah Graham's enlarged studies of lollipops and Liquorice Allsorts in many winebars and restaurants across the city. Castle Galleries is a showcase for local and national talent. It holds exhibitions during which the artist is present to talk about his/her work. You won't find a picture of a paint splodge priced at £2 million there as pictures are reasonably around the £200 - £500 bracket. The staff are helpful and informative and share my love of Art. So if I win the lottery I may just call in here for a mad cow to go with my Picasso.

It's a lovely shop and lovely staff. However they only cater for the rich. They don't really have…read moreany inexpensive art for people who like it but can't afford to spent alot.

I can't believe I didn't think to review this place sooner, The Waterside Arts Centre is one of my…read morefavourite places. There are no limits to what can happen here; it's a theatre, an art gallery, an exhibition hall, a comedy venue, a music venue, a cinema, a function room...the list goes on. Everything about it is so beautifully versatile, you can go to any one of the above events there and think that is the venue's sole purpose. I've been to see some fantastic original exhibitions there, I've been in tears from laughing at the comedy nights and I've taken my younger sister there for some of the great child-friendly events they regularly hold. If you're unsure, head down to their next open day when they have taster sessions of everything for free! Also check out the programme of events on their website, I bet you'll see something you like because they really do cater for everyone!

The Waterside Arts Centre was completed as part of the redevelopment of the Trafford Council…read moreOffices which resulted in some shiny new offices, a new bar beneath them, and the Waterside Arts Centre. The Waterside really amounts to a number of galleres and exhibition spaces, and the Robert Bolt theatre within it all, which is a reasonably intimate (i.e. small!) performance venue that I've been lucky enough to visit for a number of different performances. There is a full programme of events on here and in any one month there will be a variety of music concerts (ranging from small and relatively unknown folk acts, current chart stalwarts, ageing rockers, local classical musical ensembles and anything (and everything) inbetween. There's also a regular comedy night styled along the lines of 'Whose line is it anyway?', and regular theatre productions including an annual pantomime. I've been fortunate enough to see a few acts there in recent times including Hayseed Dixie (true Hillbilly Rock) and Glenn Tillbrook (guitar-god and songwriter extraordinaire of Squeeze fame), two gigs that saw the Robert Bolt theatre in both standing, and fully seated configurations (it is usually set up for one or the other!)... Both times, the size of venue allowed me to feel really connected to the performer in a true 'I could see into the whites of their eyes' kind of sense. In both instances, this certainly added to the quality of the experience! Drinks for gigs are usually provided via a 'bottle and can' bar, which can make for a slightly pricy night, but then, you're not going there to drink! The gallery spaces are spread around the building and seem to cater for most tastes, and provide opportunities for local artists alongside those who are better known. All in all, the Waterside is a great little venue and a top addition to a town that was in sore need of a place like this. Bravo!

This is a fantastic gallery owed and run by a small group of local artists. Located on Beech road…read moreit has a lovely sunny aspect and lots of displayed recycled artwork while to the rear there is the gallery shed. There are a number of courses run from here for beginners including ceramics, stained glass and quilting and on the day you can walk away with a finished piece of your very own art. On site there is also a framing service available. The pieces of art on display as well as jewellery are beautiful and you would not imagine they had been created from material that would otherwise go to landfill.

This Artists studio space is based inside the Casket Works building, which is a hub of creativity,…read moreit is quite close to Manchester city centre although sadly, not many visitors would not know about it. The space is used by at least 20 Artists at any time, most of which work in a wide range of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, illustration, animation and photography. This area of Salford is fast becoming famed as a visual centre of the north. This Artist community presents an opportunity to see the work of a rising talent in the city, and often hosts open studios and exhibitions. If like me you are interested in the developments of local Artists and the work they are producing ... check out what is going on in Salford!

I scorn people who whinge about Salford and claim that it's 'rough', 'scary' or 'crime-infested'…read more No more than any other city. Okay, maybe Shameless has given us a really dreadful name, but come on. Every city has its nasty parts and its good parts. I for one am a fan of Salford's university area, and one of the hotspots of that is the Museum and Art Gallery, located right in the middle of campus. I'm lucky to have lived with this historical and gorgeous building around the corner from me. Devoted to the history of Salford and Victorian architecture and art and with free admission, it houses temporary exhibition spaces as well as the LifeTimes Gallery (family friendly exhibitions about the history of Salford), the Victorian Gallery (boasting an impressive range of paintings and some spectacular marble statues), the Local History library where researchers and avid scholars alike can brush up on their Salford knowledge, and of course refreshments in the form of the Lark Hill Tea Rooms. Just stunning. Who says Salford is all stabbings outside pubs and teenage mothers. For true Mancunian culture, the end I live in is doing just nicely, thanks to places like this. Enjoy.

This is a relatively small museum and art gallery located next down to one of the Salford…read moreUniversity buildings. The place has some nice art pieces. I was not here long so only managed to check out the art gallery bit but some people commented on how the museum but was good. On the ground floor is a cafe (plus a shop). The cafe is pretty large in size with lots of seating. I can't comment on the food but a few people I was with had some cake which they liked. I just had a cup of tea.