This light contemporary space in West Smithfield is attractive with its floor to ceiling glass…read morewindow front, allowing the art to be seen from across the street. There was work 15 living artists when I visited, all from Barcelona, and there was a predominantly 'street art feel' to the exhibition. However the shows change every couple of weeks and the gallery does not specialise in any one particular style of artwork. It was totally unintimidating and although my friend and I were the only two in there, we felt at ease taking our time around the room. It is nice place to pop in when passing by, and to enjoy a creative talent of living artists without needing to dedicate a whole morning or day to doing so.

This gallery for hire is a well appointed space to the north (City-side) of Smithfield Market. Very…read morenear Farringdon Station (and actually not too far from Barbican or St Paul's Tube stations), it's nearby a handful of excellent restaurants, cafes and pubs ... as well as some interesting sites such as St Bartholew's Church and, of course, Smithfield Market. The lighting is awesome (surprisingly, this isn't always the case in London galleries) and the exhibition space is open and "vanilla" enough for any variety of shows to slide in and set up. I was there recently for the awesome Barcelona XL: Homage to Catalonia (http://ontolondon.blogspot.com/2008/12/barcelona-xl-spanish-street-art-at.html) street art exhibition. I was really blown away by that show and felt that the gallery was perfect for displaying the exhibition's different artists and their varying styles. It wasn's my first time to the Smithfield Gallery but it was the catalyst which will now ensure I keep better track of what' s on there.

Richard Green doesn't differ much from any of the other galleries in the area. They're more shops…read morethan galleries per se but the permanent collections they loo after are always of an mazing standard. They're basically art shops for rich people which is fine.

This gallery has been going for twenty years, so has a solid reputation built up away from the…read moreother centres of art trading (Cork Street, East End). The work shown (by artists like Martyn Brewster, David Mach, Chris Orr, Alison Lambert, Gro Thorsen, Mark Firth, etc) is always compelling and, unlike many commercial galleries, the casual viewer is never made to feel unwelcome or unwealthy! Take a look.

Tucked away in a dead end road in the no-mans land between Holland Park and Westfield, being…read morerewarded with great art in this unassuming corner of West London is a real treat. The gallery is run by Colart, a leading manufacturer of art supplies and paints, which explains a bias in their programme towards painting and drawing. They have introduced the Griffin Art Prize in support of emerging artists and also offer residencies at their studios which are based in the same building, as is a laboratory where the latest innovations are tested. Apparently, there are also workshops and events. Definitely a place to watch!

Nice, small gallery with changing exhibits. Most of what they display can also be bought…read more The building was a bakery up until about 15 years ago, and thankfully they still have the original bread ovens to view in the basement. You can pop in to just view some art, or purchase with prices from just a few pounds and upwards.

Great little gallery worth making the trip to Denmark Hill for. I am lucky to know one of the…read moreartists included in the current show. Rather than working towards an overriding theme, the exhibition is defined by the size of the works - all pieces measure 40 x 40 cm. A good size which works well for photographs and paintings alike - and fits on regular walls in regular homes. No wonder quite a few pieces were snapped up on opening night! Mince pies were a nice touch!! I wonder if I'd even noticed this gem if I had just walked down the road. The main shop window on Denmark Hill is dedicated to the framing business. The main gallery space is towards the back of the building with a separate entrance from a side street. Beautiful basement gallery!

Ada Street Gallery is a small gallery space, moments from the picturesque Broadway Market, although…read morethe gallery is in a rather unsightly industrial estate. There are two units that can be rented out either individually or together, for the purpose of exhibiting local artists, as a project space, photography or film location, or an event space. The location, and proximity to Vyner Street (the heart of the East London art scene) means Ada is suitable for all of the above. A friend of mine had a show here recently, and it's a really nice space in a wonderful East End location. It is suitable for professional and up and coming artists to use, and their private views are always good fun.

Ada gallery is a small gallery just off Broadway Market in Hackney. There are two spaces which…read morecan be hired together or individually. The upstairs is fairly small but has a projection room and big windows so the space has lots of natural light. Downstairs is much larger than upstairs and with its exposed brick walls and bare concrete floor, it has more of a rough feel to it. I've seen some good shows there, and the private views can be busy, especially in the summer when it turns into a bit of a party along with the locals. The artists who rent the space can show whatever they want, so the exhibitions are varied, up and coming artists, first year students and professionals intermix. It may not have the professional feel of some of the more well known east end galleries, but sometimes the shows put on by struggling art students can be more interesting anyway. If it's not your cup of tea, find out when the private view is and drop by for the free booze!

I stumbled upon the What If Gallery whilst shopping in Dartford, and I was pleasantly surprised by…read morewhat I found. Dartford is a little lacking in places for artistic folk to display their creations so this for me was a welcome addition to the town centre. The gallery itself is situated in an old shop which was disused and awaiting redevelopment and is divided into several rooms. This is a perfect venue for local artists to show off their work and potentially sell some of it. On entering, I found the staff to be friendly and warm and enthusiastic about the project. As far as I know they are all volunteers. I enjoyed walking around the gallery - not only were there paintings on display but some craftwork and cards too. The great thing about this place is that not only do they encourage painting and art, and they hold some art classes here too, but I was told there is also a music rehearsal room for hire here at quite a competitive rate and I got the impression that they supported all other types of artistic expression and creativity too. A welcome addition to Dartford town centre and hopefully they will be able to find permanent premises before they have to move out when the redevelopment takes place.

Ever fancied owning a piece of original art? Well, here's your chance, by popping along (May 16-18)…read moreto the annual Battersea Contemporary Art Fair. Now in its sixteenth year, this is the largest artists' fair in the UK, and features over 150 artists from the UK and overseas, selling paintings, photographs, sculptures and prints directly to the public (ie with no commission - saving up to 40%). I went there a few years ago with my partner's cousin, who was exhibiting her photography there. The venue is part of the Old Town Hall complex, and is about ten minutes' walk from Clapham Junction station. It is a little pricey to get in, but the range and quantity of art on display is impressive. Not every stall will take your fancy though - some of it is very mainstream, others very eclectic, so it depends on your taste. As well as straightforward art, there are artists who specialise in painting things like your pet's portrait, if you are so moved. But there's bound to be something that takes your fancy. Unfortunately for me, I seem to be born with expensive tastes: rather than the stuff around £40, I seem drawn like a bee to a honey pot to the stuff in the £4,000 bracket. I don't know if this means I have good taste, or just an eye for the commercially popular. My other half and I eventually bought a photographic print for around £90. Refreshments are available, and there's a jazz band playing during the Friday evening reception.

Orginally named Battersea town hall then to Battersea arts Centre now contemporary art Fair i used…read moreto do volentry work there in the canteen when i was younger you can see live bands and proforming arts plus drama plays they used to run classes for children such as tap dancing , ballet and potery and have fates outside to raise money for certain charitys inside the place itself is a small bookstore with plenty of good books to buy and postcards, there are many works of art on show and to buy all in all it is a fun time looking around so if you like any kind of art this is a great place to visit.