I love Walsall Art Gallery, not least because of the free food they dish out at private views. They…read moreused to have school style dinner ladies, spooning out curry from big silver trolleys but last time I went they had the most amazing samosas. They probably don't even do free food any more due to all the cuts but the gallery is worth a visit any day time - private view or not - because it's a beautiful building and usually well curated. I can't say much for their shop as it's nothing in comparison to the Ikon shop but they do have some lovely pieces by Tatty Devine.

Looking like something out of Grand Designs New Art Gallery is a fresh, modern building in an…read moreotherwise outdated town centre. I think it's quite funny that it is called New Art Gallery even though it has been open since 2000. Housing the Garman Ryan collection which is a permanent fixture featuring works by the likes of Jacob Epstein alongside artists in residence such as Bob and Roberta Smith, the New Art Gallery also features various tempoarary exhibitions which are usually held on the upper floors. The New Art Gallery has a splendid mix of contemporary and historic artwork. I went recently specifically to see the touring exhibtion Transmitter/Receiver: The Persistence of Collage which features works by Grayson Perry, Eric Bainbridge and Margaret Harrison amongst others. Whilst I was there I took the opportunity to look at some of the other art on show, one of the standout areas for me was the section dedicated to Epstein's Rima which is a memorial sculpture that seems fairly innocuous to modern eyes but when it was revealed by the then prime Minister Stanley Baldwin it proved to be very controversial, as well as showing sketches of the design process there are also newspaper articles of the day which recount the outrage caused at its unveiling. On the whole I think the various areas are set out well but there was one piece which seemed out of place in iits section. David Shrigley's All The Arrows Missed Thank God was placed alongside traditional representations of religious artwork. Maybe I'm missing the point but apart from it using the words Thank God I couldn't work out why it was there. Perhaps one of the curators has a dark sense of humour!

Twenty Twenty is always full of beautiful artwork, sculptures, furniture and jewellery. Although…read morerather pricey there is a lot of work from local artists and makes for a perfect special present or treat. The staff there are lovely, really helpful and always remember you. Theyyre always happy to chat and tell you more about the artwork. If youure looking for something really special, you can usually find it here.

Take To Art is a small gallery tucked away in Tudor Row in Lichfield so you have to look to find…read moreit! It contains a range of items from paintings to sculptures which suit differing tastes. You can find Miro lithographs and more contemporary original paintings. If you want to see a painting that has not been touched by a paintbrush and has been composed by the artist dropping paint on to the canvas, this is the place to go. The owner is happy to answer any questions you may have about the art works and is knowledgeable about the pieces in the gallery.

Newcastle Museum is a small but well laid out museum. Downstairs features many pieces of pottery…read morefrom the local area, memorabilia from the mines and costumes and medals from soldiers. Upstairs there is the room full of old toys through the ages and a replica Victorian street. Even though there is not much in the museum it is always a very enjoyable place to visit every now and again as the rooms and displays very rarely change. The museum is free which is fantastic.

The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley offers a stupendous collection of locally made…read moredecorative pottery - as you would expect in Stoke, the center of British pottery production. It's not just huge, but also astonishingly varied. ANY person who loves pottery must go there when in England! On top of this, the museum also offers a fine art gallery - frankly, that one's not so special (hence, -1 star). The collection is limited, but you will find half a dozen paintings by the noted Manchester-based artist LS Lowry. The focus is on 19th and early 20th century British art. This is a "general purpose" museum, so it also covers local history and archaeology. The entry to the permanent collection is *free*, and you can take photos. There are a few lockers available on the ground floor (30p) and you will find a rather nice little café in the basement. During my visit there was a nice temporary exhibit on the history of Superheroes, which came with a UKP 5 charge. Great museum shop, too. The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery is, literally, the only real attraction in all of Stoke though, if you discount the parks.

This quaint little craft centre is great place to visit if you're on the hunt for a unique gift for…read morea friend or loved one. Impressive art from local and national artists adorn the walls and vary in price from reasonable to very expensive. I'm a fan of two shops in particular, the chocolate shop has a yummy selection of handmade chocolates and cakes for sale. It offers a bespoke service whereby you can have your own design made for those very special occasions. The other shop is the kitchen shop, here it has quirky utensils, pots, pans, baking dishes which are all quite unique and reasonably priced. I'm also a fan of the on site cafe, which gets really busy during lunch time, I had a simple cheese and pickle sandwich and a cappuccino for around £6.00. There's a comfy area with sofas, you can sit at a table or there's outside seating which is very pleasant in the summer months.

There are some lovely craft shops at Mitchell's, I got some great unique Christmas presents this…read moreyear, plus a pair of earrings for myself! The knitting shop has a huge collection of wool and is very reasonably priced. Plenty of free parking here and it's a lovely place to browse!

This gallery is located in the Chancellor's Building on the Keele University campus, and is open to…read morenot only the students but also members of the general public too. It shows many different and unique displays and artworks throughout the year and aims to be challenging, so there is always something new and weird and wonderful to look at everytime you visit. Although it's location isn't too convenient (unless you are a student), there are shops and local amenities nearby (including the excellent Sneyd Arms where you can have a relaxing pint and some good food).

The craft gallery is located inside Bilston library in Mount Pleasant…read more The Gallery can be accessed from the main entrance, and is located through the doors straight ahead when you enter. The Gallery has many different exhibits that change within a few months, giving the gallery a lot of variety all the time. The Gallery heralds a lot of the Black Country artists and showcases both professional and amateur artwork. There is a museum attached to the gallery as well which takes you through a history of the black country. School visits are very popular in the gallery, but there are lots of times to visit when it is quiet and you can enjoy the wide range of art.