Welcome to Firstsite
Firstsite is the winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2021!
Visit us this Autumn – enjoy our exhibitions, films and events, relax in our newly refurbished cafe with outdoor seating and find quirky and stylish products in our shop.
What's on
Top picks
Exhibitions
Free
Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2021
25th September - 28th November 2021
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Firstsite is delighted be working in partnership with New Contemporaries to be the first gallery to exhibit Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2021, as part of the celebrations for our building’s 10th anniversary year.
Read moreCinema
Tubby Hayes: A Man in a Hurry + Q&A
23rd October 2021
7:00 pm
Narrated by actor Martin Freeman, this documentary film charts the life and times of perhaps Britain’s greatest jazz exponent, Tubby Hayes
Read moreChildren & Families
Free
Holiday Fun October 2021: Canteen
25th - 29th October 2021
Multiple times available
Enjoy freshly made hot meals for all the family over during Half Term at Firstsite’s canteen in Colchester town centre.
Read moreExhibitions
Free
@background_bob and his amazing friends – guess who’s back!
18th September 2021 - 9th January 2022
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Young Essex artist Background Bob returns with a brand-new exhibition, showcasing over 200 stunning artworks by leading international street and graffiti artists, tattooists, sculptors and fine artists.
Read moreChildren & Families
Free
Harwich Holiday Fun October 2021: Canteen
25th - 29th October 2021
Multiple times available
Enjoy freshly made hot meals for all the family over the October Half Term at Harwich Arts and Heritage Centre.
Read moreCinema
Cliff Richard Live – The Great 80 Tour (Live)
27th October 2021
7:20 pm
Featuring a selection of his greatest hits, this will be Cliff Richard’s most exciting tour yet. His incredible energy and passion on stage will sweep you off your feet and be sure to have you swaying in the aisles.
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The Addams Family 2
23rd - 31st October 2021
Multiple times available
Everyone’s favorite spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In this all new movie we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.”
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Cinema
The Haunted Hotel + Q&A
31st October 2021
7:00 pm
Since 1518, the premises of the legendary Great White Horse Hotel in Ipswich have offered a night’s rest to such diverse luminaries as Charles Dickens, George II and the Beatles.
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The Doors: Live At The Bowl ’68 Special Edition
4th November 2021
7:00 pm
in celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Doors final studio album L.A. WOMAN (1971), “The Doors: Live At The Bowl ’68 Special Edition” will transform movie theaters into concert venues, giving Doors fans around the world the closest experience to being there live.
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The Rocky Horror Show Live 2021
28th October 2021
6:30 pm
Ready to thrill you with fun and naughty moments, Richard O’Brien’s legendary rock ‘n’ roll musical, The Rocky Horror Show, comes to the big screen near you.
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Cinema
My Little Sister
5th - 9th November 2021
Multiple times available
Lisa has bid goodbye to her ambitions as a playwright and the Berlin arts scene and now lives in Switzerland with her husband, who runs an international school.
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Sweet Thing
23rd October 2021
2:00 pm
In New Bedford Massachusetts, a dysfunctional family portrayed in all shades of black-and-white, lead forgotten lives.
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Gunpowder Milkshake
24th October 2021
7:30 pm
Gunpowder Milkshake tells the story of Sam (Karen Gillan), who was only 12 years old when her mother Scarlet (Lena Headey), an elite assassin, was forced to abandon her. Sam was raised by The Firm, the ruthless crime syndicate her mother worked for.
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The Outsiders: The Complete Novel (4K Restoration)
24th October 2021
2:00 pm
‘The Outsiders’ takes place in ’60s Oklahoma, centring on two rival teen gangs: The ‘Greasers’, a class term that refers to the young men on the East Side, the poor side of town, and the ‘Socs’, short for Socials, who are the “West-side rich kids”.
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The Ghost of Winifred Meeks
30th October 2021
7:30 pm
Anna James rents a remote farmhouse in Suffolk to work on the latest of a series of teen crime novels. Soon, however, her idyll becomes unsettled by the presence of an unquiet spirit – the former lady of the house, Winifred Meeks.
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Christmas at Firstsite
Give you team, friends or family something special to look forward to this Christmas!
Host your Christmas Party with us and support your local community. Our Winter Wonderland party nights are held throughout December offering a three course meal, bar and disco in our beautifully decorated function rooms.
Get Christmas Wrapped Up!
Take a look at our shop
Featuring a range of design-led and affordable products, inspired by our exhibition programme, events and community, our shop has something for everyone. All profits from your purchase raises funds to help us keep our exhibitions free and supports our community outreach activities.
Explore shopMake the most of your visit
Latest news
Firstsite wins Art Fund Museum of the Year 2021
22nd September 2021
Colchester’s Firstsite was announced as Art Fund Museum of the Year 2021 last night (21 September 2021), with Director, Sally Shaw MBE presented with the £100,000 prize – the largest museum prize in the world – by broadcaster Edith…
Read moreFirstsite Collectors’ Group Bursary Awards 2021
7th October 2021
The Firstsite Collectors’ Group Bursary Awards scheme aims to support artists working in Essex and Suffolk with their professional career development. These annual awards are made possible through the Collectors’ Group continuing engagement and interest in contemporary visual art in the region.
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