If you're an aspiring artist or just want to spread your knowledge and take up a new hobby,…read moreBirmingham Printmakers can be a good start. The range of workshops offered in this very traditional space in Digbeth keeps the screen printing culture alive in Birmingham since 1982. I have looking for information about some new courses and I just found out there are a quite big list of classes offered if you want to learn about Silk screen textile printing and even trying waterless lithography, but there are just few dates in June. The average price of a course at Birmingham Printmakers is £ 60 for non-member and £ 50 for member. Once and then they also prepare some wicked exhibitions, so it's always a good chance to catch up with some local and international artists.

The shop is conveniently located on a side-road with parking usually available (although the…read moreschool-run could be manic so avoid going at that time). The owner is a frail-looking man who gives great customer service but will not budge from the marked price, so bargaining is out of the question - regardless of how much you purchase. He stocks a wide range of Asian wedding supplies for traditional rituals, such as jaagos and maiyan. He also has shirts starting from £2.50, turbans, ramallahs and a specific section for party/decoration supplies. The rest of the vast shop is stocked to the brim with kitchen and home supplies, again specialising in items you may need for weddings or functions, such as larger pots and jugs. The prices are about average for the area but I have found cheaper elsewhere. Although, it's convenient to have everything you need under one roof!

Day Three are another teeny tiny design outfit from Birmingham - consisting of all of two members…read moreof staff: Robin and Chris. It's quite impressive what two people can deliver. From these guys you get all forms of lovely design: commercial design, illustration, print (of all kinds - from clothes to menus to business cards) and web. As with all small design companies - in my experience - they are super-nice to work with and really attentive to clients. Again, as with most small outfits, they're really committed to the end result, and are great at collaboration - you don't feel like your ideas are put on the back burner while they rush off into the sunset creating something that's way off the mark. That is not what you want. Fortunately, they seem to understand this. They also deliver really professionally and really speedily: most print orders have been completed within a week. That's not to say they're shoddy: the end result is always polished. I'm just not sure that Robin and Chris actually sleep...

My uncle owns a bed and breakfast in Hollywood. No, not the Hollywood in LA, but the less famous…read moreone in Birmingham. We looked in the listings and found that Baker Ward Ltd does the following. Signs, vehicle graphics, shop signs, illuminated signs, advertising signs, van graphics, vehicle wrapping, banners, school signs, car graphics, vehicle livery, safety signs, pavement signs, projecting signs, window graphics, menus, restaurant signs, pub signs. We were a little worried that they might be a jack of all trades, but we went ahead any way and the quality of workmanship was superb. The sign didn't look cheap or plastic. It was made out of wood and had a very fine print on them. I will be coming back here again for all of my graphics needs.

Kingpin Studio is a small facility discreetly hidden away at the end of a dark alleyway on Dudley…read moreRoad, right by where the riots were going off last summer. But don't let that put you off! It's not that bad an area at all and the main thing is the studio, which is warm, secure and comfortable. My band have used this facility a few times and we've been very impressed with the results of the recording and the expertise of Dave (the main guy) and his quiet but very knowledgable assistant. The 64-track studio is equipped with a drum-kit and guitar amps. There is also a sort-of loft space with an amp so that you can play live with the drums but the sound won't leak at all. There is also a green-screen in the studio which can be used for shooting videos, although we've not tried that facility.

I have had the pleasure of working with this teeny tiny but super awesome design agency based in…read morethe Jewellery Quarter on a number of occasions, and can't say that I've ever been anything but pleased with the work that they have produced. They are also a lovely bunch to work with - very good at client relationships; treading that difficult line between listening to the client's needs and wants, but also inputting their own expert design ideas. They do web, print, branding and basically anything that involves design, and are fast establishing a reputation as one of Birmingham's best design companies. The reputation is well deserved: they work hard and produce great stuff. Nuff said.

You may already have heard about the great work Supercool Design do (still love that name!) so I'd…read morelike to add a little about the personalities behind the name. I met the very recently married James and Kate through Birmingham Likemind about two years ago. Likemind (reviewed here too) is simply my favourite Friday of the month and Katie & James, until recently ran the coffee & chat morning. I love the work Supercool do but also love the attitude. I've met their interns and their employee who seem to take the same absolute pleasure in their work. I know of their design work done for Dance Xchange (who I heard raving about the work), Virgin Balloon Flights and Style Birmingham.

The building to this place i have to say looks tatty and unclean. Last time i came here for an…read moreinterview the place had takeaway boxes just dumped by the bushes besides the entrance, and the buzz bottoms used to contact the different companys such as Jisaw here were like broken and not working.

This is the local Job centre base for those in the Saltley, Washwood Heath etc areas…read more It is quite big and is like always busy with people applying for benefits and looking for jobs. There is a fair amount of machines there to find jobs but can be out of order on those odd occasions so will not be so ideal if it happens to be on a day when it is really busy. It can be somewhat an embarrasing place to be, if you see your locals there as well applying for jobs etc but it serves well which is the main thing. There is limited parking out side but you can park a few blocks which should not be a problem.