Godfried Donkor: It’s a Numbers Game

23 May - 30 August 2026

Step into a boxing ring. Stand face-to-face with the leaders and resisters who shaped history. Walk through waves of figures rising from the pages of the Financial Times.

Holiday Fun Summer 2026: Canteen (Early Afternoon)

25 July - 29 August 2026

Multiple times available

Enjoy freshly made hot meals for all the family at Firstsite’s Holiday Fun Canteen in Colchester town centre.

Arpita Shah: Nalini

13 June - 04 October 2026

Developed across India, East Africa and the UK, discover a photographic series that explores the connected histories of Arpita Shah, her mother, and grandmother.

Minions & Monsters (Relaxed)

08 August 2026

11:00 am

This is the rambunctious, ridiculous and totally true story of how the Minions conquered Hollywood, became movie stars, lost everything, unleashed monsters onto the world and then banded together to try and save the planet from the mayhem they had just created.

Holiday Fun Summer 2026: Make

25 July - 29 August 2026

Multiple times available

Get making during our Holiday Fun: Make session with a variety of free creative activities at Firstsite this Summer.

Boozy Brushes

14 August 2026 - 12 March 2027

Multiple times available

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

Paint Like…

14 August 2026 - 12 March 2027

Multiple times available

Learn how to recreate iconic artworks in a supportive and guided environment with our Paint Like… workshop.

Trust The Process: Observational Drawing

13 August 2026 - 11 March 2027

Multiple times available

Our four-part Trust the Process: Observational Drawing workshop invites you to explore the foundations of observational art.

Mini Movers & Makers Toddler Group

10 September 2026 - 18 March 2027

Multiple times available

Artist-led toddler group provides a fun environment for children to explore sensory storytelling and experiment with a range of art activities.

Boozy Brushes – Paint Your Pal

29 August 2026 - 27 March 2027

Multiple times available

Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes a multi-art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza where you can your pal!

Toy Story 5

26 July - 02 August 2026

Multiple times available

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time around it’s Toy meets Tech.

Make An Impressionist Still Life Painting

06 September 2026

10:00 am

Explore expressive still life painting through the techniques and ideas of Impressionism in this hands-on oil painting workshop focused on colour, light, and observation.

Rewilding Imagination Labs

13 August - 12 November 2026

Multiple times available

A monthly gathering for artists, creatives, and the curious to explore the uncharted territories of imagination.

Andre Rieu: Viva Maastricht!

08 - 20 August 2026

Multiple times available

This year, André Rieu celebrates a spectacular milestone – the 20th anniversary of his iconic summer concerts on the magnificent Vrijthof square.

500 Miles

07 - 08 August 2026

Multiple times available

500 Miles is a poetic, life-affirming road movie and celebration of the human spirit that follows a broken family forced to come together when two young brothers run away from home.

Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels

16 August 2026 - 07 March 2027

Multiple times available

Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, gain confidence in drawing the figure, with these tutored life drawing sessions.

Firstsite Fabulous Fridays

14 August 2026 - 11 July 2025

Multiple times available

Immerse yourself in a world of unlimited creativity at our monthly Fabulous Fridays with unique workshops, art, tasty treats and great films!

Nino

24 - 29 July 2026

Multiple times available

Nino, a young man, explores the streets of Paris to reconnect with the world and himself, after being diagnosed with cancer.

Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day

31 July - 02 August 2026

Multiple times available

London 1910: a passionate astronomer does everything she can to avoid romantic love and marriage.

Monoprint Day: Texture, Gesture & Etching Press

27 September 2026

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Discover the expressive world of monoprinting in this hands-on creative session exploring texture, movement and abstraction through drawing and printmaking techniques.

Holiday Fun Summer 2026: Picnic Sundays

26 July - 30 August 2026

Multiple times available

Join us every Sunday throughout the summer holidays for our new family day out, combining creativity, movement and outdoor fun.

A Private Life (Captioned)

01 August 2026

8:00 pm

When renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner learns of the death of one of her patients, she is convinced it was murder and takes it upon herself to investigate.

Animal Farm (Parent & Baby)

27 August 2026

11:30 am

All animals are created equal… but some are more equal than others.

Boozy Brushes – Paint Your Pet

28 November 2026 - 27 March 2027

Multiple times available

Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes a multi-art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza where you can paint your pet!

Create Your Own Monochrome Painting Inspired by Tamara de Lempicka

09 August 2026

10:00 am

Explore monochrome oil painting and stylised portraiture in this workshop inspired by Self-Portrait in the Green Bugatti by Tamara de Lempicka.

David Byrne’s American Utopia

15 August 2026

8:00 pm

In his wildly popular Broadway show American Utopia, David Byrne reflects on human connections, life and how on earth we work through it.

Duncan Grant: Worlds Through Desire: From Drawing to Cruising to DMs

11 July - 08 November 2026

Bringing together artworks, stories and poetry from three generations of voices, explore how LGBT+ people have sought desire, such as friendship, community, and intimacy, across changing times and technologies.

Lesbian Space Princess

25 - 30 July 2026

Multiple times available

An introverted space princess is forced to leave her home planet on an inter-gay-lactic mission to save her ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens.

Moana

14 - 16 August 2026

Multiple times available

Moana answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.

Nirvanna: The Band – The Show – The Movie

14 - 22 August 2026

Multiple times available

When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.

Royal Ballet Live: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

28 March 2027

1:45 pm

At a garden party on a sunny afternoon, Alice is surprised to see her parents’ friend Lewis Carroll transform into a white rabbit.

Space Jam (30th Anniversary)

31 July - 06 August 2026

Multiple times available

Michael Jordan makes his starring film debut opposite the celluloid skills of Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes. Jordan must help the Looney Tunes win a basketball game.

The Essex Ways + Q&A

14 August 2026

7:00 pm

Discover the many ways of Essex with this special screening of ‘The Essex Ways’, a feature length documentary by local filmmaker Thomas Winward.

The Odyssey

22 - 26 August 2026

Multiple times available

Christopher Nolan’s next film, The Odyssey, is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX® film technology.

Watercolour Workshop

13 September 2026 - 07 February 2027

Multiple times available

Explore the materials, techniques and colour theory used to develop your watercolour paintings in this relaxed social session.

Holiday Fun Summer 2026: Firstsite Games

25 July - 29 August 2026

Multiple times available

Create your team, make your mascot, and join us for a summer of sporting fun! Every Friday you’ll collect new skills and creations before coming together for our spectacular Sports Day Finale.

WHAM! 10 Days In China

30 July 2026

7:30 pm

In 1985, WHAM! crossed cultural divides as the first Western pop act in China. Previously unseen, beautifully restored archive footage reveals this landmark meeting of pop, politics and history.