ADMISSION TO FIRSTSITE IS FREE

Open Tuesday – Sunday

See our opening times

Welcome to Firstsite!

See the world differently – experience the very best art and culture from around the world that inspires, empowers and opens your mind.

Enjoy our exhibitions, workshops, films and events. Relax in our colourful cafe with outdoor seating and find quirky, fun and stylish products in our shop.

See What's On and Book

 

Join our Mosaic Membership to receive incredible benefits and discounts

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ADMISSION TO FIRSTSITE IS FREE

Open Tuesday – Sunday

See our opening times

What's on

Top picks

Exhibitions

Free

Claire Cansick: You and I Are Earth

14 October 2023 - 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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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Yuletide Wreath Making Workshop

16 December 2023

3:00 pm

Join artist and wildcrafter Lora Aziz to create your very own Yuletide wreath from locally sourced foliage.

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Exhibitions

Free

Wyrd Flora, YAK and Motanafas Collective: Power of Place: Earth, Gather, Form

04 November 2023 - 14 January 2024

Ranging from the saltmarshes of Essex’s Colne estuary to the Sinai mountains of Egypt, the landscape has a huge effect on us. It shapes our sense of place, identity and connection with nature. ‘Power of Place: Earth, Gather, Form’…

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Knitting for Newbies with Clare Sams

10 December 2023

Multiple times available

Learn how to knit festive table table settings in our special festive Knitting for Newbies.

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Weekly Watercolour for Beginners with Justine Moss

07 December 2023

Multiple times available

Join our weekly group for watercolourists of all levels where you will be introduced to the materials, techniques and colour
theory to develop your paintings.

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Cinema

The Royal Opera House: The Nutcracker

17 - 21 December 2023

Multiple times available

Discover the enchantment of ballet with this sparkling festive treat for the whole family.

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Boozy Brushes

15 December 2023 - 16 February 2024

Multiple times available

Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes – our New Multi-Art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza!

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Air Dry Clay Workshop For Ages 8-16 yrs – Winter Decorations

03 December 2023

10:30 am

This is a fun and exciting opportunity to get your children into the festive spirit and create special and unique clay winter decorations to be treasured.

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Candle Making Festive Workshop

08 December 2023

Multiple times available

A fun, relaxing two-hour workshop to guide you through the process of making your own hand-poured scented candle to take home.

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Cinema

National Theatre Live: Skylight

10 December 2023

Multiple times available

Returning to the big screen after nearly ten years, Bill Nighy (Living) and Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) feature in the critically acclaimed revival of David Hare’s play Skylight, directed by Stephen Daldry (The Audience).

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Cinema

The Royal Opera House: The Winter’s Tale

26 May 2024

1:45 pm

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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Community and Partners

Free

First Thursdays

07 December - 02 November 2023

Multiple times available

Come out and experience some of the fantastic local artistic talent which we have on offer!  There is creativity around every corner on the first Thursday of every month.

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Talks & Events

Hic Sumus and Friends Festive Concert

22 December 2023

6:45 pm

Join us for a festive evening of live music, poetry reading and performance with Hic Sumus Choir and friends!

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Talks & Events

Late Lounge @ Firstsite

01 - 08 December 2023

Multiple 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.

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Cinema

National Theatre Live: Vanya

22 February 2024

7:00 pm

Andrew Scott brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya.

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

S&B Festive Special

02 December 2023

6:00 pm

Join Amy and Megan from S&B Colchester in our café for a special evening of festive textile crafting to decorate your home with this winter!

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Cinema

André Rieu’s White Christmas

02 - 09 December 2023

Multiple times available

For many, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. This year it will come early with André Rieu’s White Christmas cinema special.

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Community and Partners

Dragonfly Lounge Presents: Drag Quiz

02 December 2023

Multiple times available

Get ready for a dazzling night of wit, wisdom, and fierce competition at The Dragonfly Lounge with the fabulous Tracey Paper and Karmen Stretch!

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Cinema

Essex Girls

29 November 2023

Multiple times available

Flipping the “Essex Girl” trope, this coming-of-age film explores Black British girlhood and magical female friendships in 2009 Essex.

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Everyone Can Draw Festive Lunch

17 December 2023

Multiple times available

Join artist Samantha Barnes for Drawing Art Festive Lunch – a light-hearted, confidence-inducing workshop including delicious food and drawing.

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Courses, Clubs & Classes

Mark-making workshop with Lucy Scott

08 December 2023

Multiple times available

Try something spontaneous, immediate and mindful with this meditative workshop

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Exhibitions

Free

Opening Celebration | Lucy Harwood: Bold Impressions

01 December 2023

Multiple times available

Join us to celebrate the opening of our new exhibition, Lucy Harwood: Bold Impressions Be the first to experience the first major exhibition of Lucy Harwood’s work since 1975.  Immerse yourself in the life and work of the late…

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Cinema

The Great Escaper

29 - 30 November 2023

Multiple times available

The Great Escaper celebrates enduring love but always with an eye to the lessons we might learn from the Greatest Generation.

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Become a Mosaic Member today!

Enjoy a unlimited free access to our films and a whole host of special offers and generous discounts with a Firstsite Mosaic Membership.

As a treat for yourself – or a gift for someone else – being a Firstsite Mosaic Members provides a year of fantastic benefits, and helps to support art and creativity in East Anglia.

Join today
Selection of online shop products

Explore our online shop

Featuring a range of design-led products and books 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.

 

Shop online
Christmas at Firstsite

Celebrate Christmas with a fun and festive night at Firstsite

With its dramatic frontage and beautiful gallery spaces, Firstsite provides an unforgettable setting for your party

Firstsite is a registered charity; holding your Christmas party with us means
you are not only supporting the great exhibitions and social enterprises based here but you are also supporting the local community

 

Party at Firstsite

Make the most of your visit

Latest news

Save cash and support the arts* – Firstsite launches Mosaic Membership scheme

21 November 2023

To coincide with the reopening of its upgraded cinema on Thursday 23 November, Firstsite is launching a membership scheme that will give culture lovers UNLIMITED FREE access to all its standard film screenings over a 12-month period, along with…

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Social posts

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

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