Chennai, with a rich cultural heriatge, is home to several art galleries. Art exhibitions, installations and other related events fill up the city's art calendar. Here are the hotspots.

Art World, formerly known as Sarala’s Art Centre, not only markets Indian art abroad, but also makes Indian works of art available for its denizens through group and solo exhibitions. Apart from the big names, south Indian artists like KM Adimoolam, Achutun Kudulur, RB Bhaskaran (former head of Lalit Kala Akademi), and other upcoming artists too exhibit here. In addition to paintings, Art World holds sculpture exhibitions as well.

The Vinnyasa Premier Art Gallery is run by Viji Nagashwaran, an artist herself. From its humble beginnings at the Music Academy auditorium to boasting of a 4,000-square feet space at Mylapore, this gallery has gone places. Vinnyasa is quite popular for an unique concept: “Affordable Art Shows”, where young artists are encouraged to display their works that are then sold at affordable prices. This concept questions the very idea that art is only meant for the fashionably elite.

But, perhaps, Chennai’s foremost art gallery is the Apparao Galleries. Fronted by Sharon Apparao, this Chennai-based gallery continues to have a remarkable hold over the Indian art scene and has made its mark by moving beyond the ubiquitous gold and Tanjore paintings.

Besides these, cultural institutions, such as, Alliance Francaise, Dakshin Chitra , the Cholamandal Art Village (currently under renovation), and Lalit Kala Akademi, too, hold various art and photography shows.

Explore the inner artist or crtic in you, by checking out any one of these galleries!