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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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Exhibitions

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.

Find out more

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 more

Community 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 more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Courses, Clubs & Classes

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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.

Find out more

Courses, Clubs & Classes

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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.

Find out more

Cinema

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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Courses, Clubs & Classes

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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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Courses, Clubs & Classes

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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Cinema

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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Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Exhibitions

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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Cinema

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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Exhibitions

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.

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Courses, 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

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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.

Find out more

Cinema

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!

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Community 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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Talks & Events

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 more

Courses, 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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Courses, Clubs & Classes

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!

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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!

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Community 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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Courses, 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

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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 more

Community 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?”.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Courses, Clubs & Classes

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Cinema

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.

Find out more

Exhibitions

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.

Find out more
Welcome area at Firstsite. 'Big Hello' (2018) Peter Liversidge. Photo by Jayne Lloyd.

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