What’s On
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Exhibitions
Free
Claire Cansick: You and I Are Earth
Saturday 14 October 2023 - Sunday 14 April 2024
What effect do we have on the landscapes around us? You and I Are Earth charts the devastating effects of climate change and the human impact on the environment across the world.
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Free
Lucy Harwood: Bold Impressions
Saturday 02 December 2023 - Sunday 14 April 2024
Immerse yourself in the life and work of local artist Lucy Harwood (1893 – 1972).
Featuring over 100 bold and beautiful paintings – including landscapes, still live and portraiture – step into a world where colour and energy collide, as Harwood’s artworks command the space, their vibrancy and confidence.
Cinema
Wicked Little Letters (Parent & Baby)
Tuesday 19 March 2024
A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a dark and absurd scandal in this riotous mystery comedy Wicked Little Letters.
Find out moreCommunity and Partners
Free
Art in the Community
Tuesday 19 March 2024
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
More times available
Art in the Community sessions are for people who use creativity to improve their well-being, and for recovery from mental and physical issues
Find out moreCinema
The Promised Land
Tuesday 19 March 2024
2:30 pm
More times available
The Promised Land is a captivating historical drama inspired by a true story about a retired 18th century army captain turned farmer.
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Limitless Street Dance
Tuesday 19 March 2024
4:00 pm
More times available
Breakdance skills for 8 – 14 year olds. Join the Limitless dancers Andi Mill and Isaac James to try out the basics of street dancing in a cool, fun and energetic environment.
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Wicked Little Letters (Captioned)
Wednesday 20 March 2024
A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a dark and absurd scandal in this riotous mystery comedy Wicked Little Letters.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Free
MiniCLIP Colchester
Wednesday 20 March 2024
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
More times available
MiniCLIP – a free weekly music club for young people age 11 to 14 at Firstsite Colchester, on term time Wednesdays from 4 – 5pm.
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Mini Movers & Makers Toddler Group
Thursday 21 March 2024
10:00 am
More times available
This brand new artist-led toddler group provides a safe and fun environment for children under 5 and parents/carers to be curious and explore interactive, sensory storytelling and experiment with a range of art activities and materials.
Find out moreCinema
Wicked Little Letters
Thursday 21 March 2024
11:00 am
More times available
A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a dark and absurd scandal in this riotous mystery comedy Wicked Little Letters.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Drumming Workshop
Thursday 21 March 2024
4:00 pm
More times available
Learn the basics of African Drumming with drumming tutor Hassan who is experienced in teaching people of all levels.
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Perfect Days
Thursday 21 March 2024
4:15 pm
Perfect Days is a subtle, shimmering and ultimately life-affirming reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.
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Free
YAK | Young Art Kommunity
Thursday 21 March 2024
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
More times available
Young Art Kommunity (YAK) is Firstsite’s young-people peer led group which organises events and activities within the gallery and in the wider community.
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National Theatre Live: The Motive & The Cue
Thursday 21 March 2024
7:00 pm
More times available
This electrifying brand-new play directed by Sam Mendes brings Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s infamous Hamlet rehearsals to the big screen, with Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Dance and Movement for Well-being
Friday 22 March 2024
10:30 am
More times available
A gentle session for over 60s to ease joint mobility, improve agility, balance and self-awareness in movement. Every Friday 10:30am during term times.
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Nature drawing workshop with Lisa Temple-Cox
Friday 22 March 2024
10:30 am
More times available
Explore observational drawing and discover your favourite medium with this nature drawing workshop.
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The Taste Of Things
Friday 22 March 2024
10:30 am
A delectable feast for the senses, The Taste of Things is a stunningly beautiful romance that simmers with emotion.
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Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande
Friday 22 March 2024
1:30 pm
More times available
The London-based Cymande are the greatest band you’ve likely never heard of, and this is their incredible untold story.
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Dune: Part Two
Friday 22 March 2024
3:45 pm
More times available
Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
Find out moreExhibitions
Free
Opening Celebration | David Lock: In-between Us
Friday 22 March 2024
Join us for a special evening event to celebrate the opening of ‘In-between Us’, David Lock’s first solo exhibition in a public gallery,
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Red Island
Friday 22 March 2024
7:15 pm
More times available
Red Island is Robin Campillo’s new film, inspired by his own childhood growing up on a French army base in recently independent Madagascar.
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Free
David Lock: In-between Us
Saturday 23 March - Sunday 23 June 2024
Experience an exciting blend of existing work and never-before-seen paintings form London-based artist David Lock in his first solo public exhibition that delves into the portrayal and consumeristic reproduction of the male form, from antiquity to the present day.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Watercolour Saturdays with Justine Moss
Saturday 23 March 2024
10:30 am
More times available
A monthly meet up for watercolour painters and enthusiasts – open for all levels. Explore the materials, techniques and colour theory to develop your work
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Soul (Relaxed)
Saturday 23 March 2024
11:00 am
Soul introduces Joe Gardner voiced by Jamie Foxx, a school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels
Saturday 23 March 2024
1:30 pm
More times available
Learn how to draw from the live model or practice your life drawing skills at Firstsite.
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Sabakan (Japan Foundation Touring Film)
Saturday 23 March 2024
Set amongst the beautiful, peaceful landscapes of Nagasaki, Kanazawa’s hometown, this heart-warming tale is teeming with nostalgia for the excitement of childhood and filled with heaps of authentic 1980s Japanese culture, offering something for the inner child in all of us!
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MET Opera Live: Romeo et Juliette
Saturday 23 March 2024
Two singers at the height of their powers—soprano Nadine Sierra and tenor Benjamin Bernheim—come together as the star-crossed lovers in Gounod’s Shakespeare adaptation.
Find out moreCinema
Getting It Back: The Story Of Cymande (Relaxed)
Sunday 24 March 2024
The London-based Cymande are the greatest band you’ve likely never heard of, and this is their incredible untold story.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Sketch, Etch and Scones with Karen Densham
Tuesday 26 March 2024
10:30 am
An accessible and fun approach to printmaking where we will be exploring low tech printing methods like dry point etching, Lino cutting, mono printing, impression printing and more.
Find out moreCinema
Dune: Part Two (Captioned)
Tuesday 26 March 2024
Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
Find out moreCinema
National Theatre Live: The Motive & The Cue (Captioned)
Wednesday 27 March 2024
This electrifying brand-new play directed by Sam Mendes brings Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s infamous Hamlet rehearsals to the big screen, with Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss.
Find out moreCinema
Dune: Part Two (Parent & Baby)
Thursday 28 March 2024
Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Capturing the Climate – Mixed Media Workshop
Friday 29 March 2024
10:30 am
More times available
Build your confidence in pastel and acrylic painting with local artist Claire Cansick in this workshop inspired by her current exhibition at Firstsite – You and I Are Earth, with a delicious light lunch included!
Find out moreCinema
Soul
Friday 29 March 2024
Soul introduces Joe Gardner voiced by Jamie Foxx, a school band teacher whose true passion is playing jazz.
Find out moreCinema
Robot Dreams
Friday 29 March 2024
1:15 pm
More times available
Based on the popular graphic novel by Sara Varon, Robot Dreams tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the 1980s.
Find out moreCinema
Origin
Friday 29 March 2024
Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay, Origin chronicles the tragedy and triumph of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson as she investigates a global phenomenon of epic proportions.
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Killers of the Flower Moon
Friday 29 March 2024
6:45 pm
A blistering adaptation of David Grann’s non-fiction bestseller, Killers of the Flower Moon tells the story of corruption, coercion and murder among the Oklahoma Osage Native American community which, for a brief spell in the 1920s, was the wealthiest in the US.
Find out moreCommunity and Partners
Free
Colchester Record Fair
Saturday 30 March 2024
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
More times available
Colchester’s Record Fair returns to Firstsite, a treat for both enthusiasts and casual collectors alike. Come browse through stall holders’ collections of vinyl and CDs from a vast range of genres. Grab yourself a bargain – or perhaps something a little rarer.
Find out moreCinema
Robot Dreams (Relaxed)
Saturday 30 March 2024
Based on the popular graphic novel by Sara Varon, Robot Dreams tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the 1980s.
Find out moreCinema
Do Unto Others (Japan Foundation Touring Film)
Saturday 30 March 2024
In Do Unto Others, a shocking discovery is made when the dead bodies of an elderly man and his care centre’s director are found early one morning.
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Driving Mum
Saturday 30 March 2024
5:00 pm
More times available
Driving Mum is a darkly comedic road movie of self-discovery and acceptance across the beautifully photographed landscapes of Iceland.
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Robot Dreams (Captioned)
Sunday 31 March 2024
Based on the popular graphic novel by Sara Varon, Robot Dreams tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the 1980s.
Find out moreCinema
The Royal Opera House: Madama Butterfly
Sunday 31 March 2024
Puccini’s devastating tragedy about a young geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer.
Find out moreCinema
Platform Asia: Germinate
Wednesday 03 April 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
Germinate is a touring programme featuring artists’ film and video works by seven filmmakers from West Asia, including artists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
Find out moreCinema
Robot Dreams (Parent & Baby)
Thursday 04 April 2024
Based on the popular graphic novel by Sara Varon, Robot Dreams tells the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in NYC during the 1980s.
Find out moreCinema
All of Us Strangers
Thursday 04 April 2024
8:30 pm
Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott are neighbours falling in love despite the presence of their pasts, in this intertwined fantasy romance All of Us Strangers by Andrew Haigh.
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Late Lounge @ Firstsite
Friday 05 April 2024
8:00 pm
More times available
Join us for late cocktails and strange happenings in our late night lounge. Ambient DJ’s create a sonic backdrop to a bizarre, surreal and at times truly mystifying collection of performances.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Drag Life Drawing with Sirena Hart
Saturday 06 April 2024
6:00 pm
More times available
A one-of-a-kind life drawing class, where your tutor and model will offer multiple poses in fantastical settings.
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Occupied City
Sunday 07 April 2024
Occupied City examines Amsterdam’s occupation by the Nazis during World War II, exploring the city’s sociological history.
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The Royal Opera House: MacMillan Celebrated – Danses Concertantes/ Different Drummer/ Requiem
Sunday 14 April 2024
The Royal Ballet celebrates the breadth of Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan’s one-act ballets.
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Exhibition on Screen: John Singer Sargent
Tuesday 16 April 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
Step into the glittering world of fashion, scandal and shameless self-promotion that made John Singer Sargent the painter who defined an era.
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Boozy Brushes
Friday 19 April 2024
7:30 pm
More times available
Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes – our New Multi-Art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza!
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MET Opera Live: La Rondine
Saturday 20 April 2024
Puccini’s bittersweet love story makes a rare Met appearance, with soprano Angel Blue starring as the sophisticated French courtesan Magda, opposite tenor Jonathan Tetelm.
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An American in Paris – The Musical
Wednesday 24 April 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
The romantic story of a young American soldier, a beautiful French girl and an indomitable European city are at the heart of Broadway’s breathtakingly beautiful new musical, An American in Paris.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Discovering Art with Jevan Watkins Jones
Friday 26 April 2024
10:30 am
More times available
Each all-day session, discover a different art medium with local artist Jevan Watkins Jones, including Watercolour, Indian Ink, Acrylic and more!
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The Royal Opera House: Swan Lake
Sunday 28 April 2024
Classical ballet’s most powerful tale of love, treachery and forgiveness returns to the Royal Opera House stage.
Find out moreCommunity and Partners
Free
Folk & Bespoke Artisan Craft Market
Saturday 04 May 2024
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
More times available
Have a handmade shopping day. The people in your life deserves something special and for a totally unique gift, you cannot beat handmade.
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The Royal Opera House: Carmen
Sunday 05 May 2024
Aigul Akmetshina performs the title role in Damiano Michieletto’s sizzling new production of Bizet’s ever-popular opera.
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Glass Suncatcher Workshop
Thursday 09 May 2024
Join us for an enchanting evening of crafting where you’ll create your very own spring-inspired fused glass suncatcher
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National Theatre Live: Nye
Friday 10 May 2024
6:45 pm
More times available
Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS.
Find out moreCinema
MET Opera Live: Puccini’s Madama Butterfly
Saturday 11 May 2024
In her Met debut, Asmik Grigorian tackles the demanding role of Cio-Cio-San, the trusting geisha at the heart of Puccini’s tragedy.
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National Theatre Live: Nye (Captioned)
Tuesday 14 May 2024
Michael Sheen plays the titular Nye Bevan in this surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the creator of the NHS.
Find out moreCommunity and Partners
Colchester Art Society Lecture Series – Freddie Robins
Thursday 16 May 2024
Freddie Robins, Professor of Textiles at the Royal College of Art, London presents her lecture “Who’s scared of the soft stuff?”.
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42nd Street – The Musical
Thursday 16 May 2024
7:00 pm
More times available
Telling the story of Peggy Sawyer, a talented young performer with stars in her eyes who gets her big break on Broadway, this is the largest ever staging of the Tony Award-winning musical.
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Introduction to Collage Workshop
Friday 24 May 2024
10:00 am
Sociable, creative and fun Introduction to Collage Workshop where you’ll learn new techniques, unwind and have a delicious lunch together.
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The Royal Opera House: The Winter’s Tale
Sunday 26 May 2024
Shakespeare’s profound story of love and loss, artfully adapted into a contemporary three- act narrative ballet by Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon.
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The Royal Opera House: Message in a Bottle
Sunday 02 June 2024
The iconic songs of Sting. The electrifying choreography of Kate Prince. This is a tale of hope.
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Exhibition on Screen: My National Gallery, London
Tuesday 04 June 2024
2:00 pm
More times available
In My National Gallery, London, devoted staff members, beloved celebrities and world class experts come together to paint a unique portrait of this iconic British institution for its 200th birthday.
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The Royal Opera House: Andrea Chenier
Sunday 16 June 2024
Jonas Kaufmann headlines David McVicar’s spectacular staging of Giordano’s epic historical drama, conducted by long-time collaborator Antonio Pappano.
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Free
Tim Noble & Sue Webster: Love and Hate at Firstsite
Saturday 09 November - Tuesday 31 December 2024
In this presentation, seven light sculptures by Noble & Webster illuminate areas of the Firstsite building with pops of glimmering colour.
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