Opening Celebration | Sue Webster: Birth of an Icon

30 January 2026

Multiple times available

Join us for a special evening event to celebrate the opening of ‘Birth of an Icon’, Sue Webster’s first solo exhibition at Firstsite!

Into the Orchard

04 October 2025 - 22 February 2026

Take a walk through the seasons at Crapes Fruit Farm in Essex in this immersive audio-visual exhibition by artists Hana Loftus and Maddie Persent.

Sue Webster: Birth of an Icon

31 January - 10 May 2026

Defaced leather jackets, memorabilia, self-portraits, video, and installation – journey through a raw, and personal exploration of art, identity, and growing up different.

Paper Jam Zine Workshop

08 February - 08 March 2026

Multiple times available

Paper Jam Zine Workshop introduces the expressive world of DIY zine making using collage, writing and mixed media.

Punk Posca Patch Making

31 January 2026

2:00 pm

Punk Posca Patch Making explores punk-inspired designs as you create custom patches using Posca paint pens and mixed materials.

Colchester Art Society at 80

17 January - 12 April 2026

In celebration of Colchester Art Society’s 80th anniversary, be inspired by a rich and varied display of British and local landscapes, everyday objects, and nature seen through the eyes of current members.

Boozy Brushes – Paint Your Pal

21 March - 25 September 2026

Multiple times available

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

BSFF 2026: Cult Film Screening

01 February 2026

3:30 pm

As is the Black Sunday tradition, the 2026 festival will close with a stone-cold cult classic with the BSFF 2026: Cult Film Screening!

Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels

22 February - 21 June 2026

Multiple times available

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

Hamnet (Parent & Baby)

19 February 2026

11:00 am

From Award winning Chloé Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece.

Monochrome Painting: Van Gogh’s Sunflowers

15 February 2026

10:00 am

Monochrome Painting: Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, invites you to reimagine this famous artwork using a limited colour palette.

Paint Like…

20 February - 10 April 2026

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

12 February - 17 September 2026

Multiple times available

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

Urban Sketching Workshop with Nicola Burrell

07 February 2026

Multiple times available

Explore buildings and streets while learning the art skills of composition and texture in this Urban Sketching Workshop with Nicola Burrell.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

05 February 2026

5:30 pm

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Quentin Tarantino’s presentation of the revenge epic is now released as one!

Wild Weaving with Angenita Teekens

22 March 2026

10:00 am

Reconnect with nature in our Wild Weaving with Angenita Teekens workshop. A mindful art workshop exploring climate, belonging and care.

Watercolour Workshop

14 March - 13 September 2026

Multiple times available

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

Introduction to Cyanotype

28 February 2026

10:00 am

Discover the expressive power of cyanotype in this hands-on creative workshop, transforming stories and memories into blue-toned artworks.

JFTFP26: What Should We Have Done?

14 February 2026

2:00 pm

In What Should We Have Done?, Tomoaki confronts the painful truth his doctor parents refused to face: his sister Masako’s schizophrenia.

Marty Supreme

29 January 2026

Multiple times available

Marty Mauser, a young man with a dream no one respects, goes to hell and back in pursuit of greatness in Marty Supreme.

Little Amélie (Relaxed)

14 February 2026

11:00 am

An enchanting tale about curiosity, courage, and the power of human connection based on Amélie Nothomb’s best-selling novel, Little Amélie.

The Voice Of Hind Rajab

06 - 12 February 2026

Multiple times available

Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A 6-year old girl is trapped in a car under IDF fire. This is The Voice of Hind Rajab.

The Thing With Feathers

28 January 2026

Multiple times available

Oscar® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch stars in The Thing with Feathers, adapted from the award-winning debut novel by Max Porter.

Body Positive Air Dry Clay

08 March 2026

2:15 pm

Celebrate International Women’s Day with our creative, grounding Body Positive Air Dry Clay workshop honouring beauty and diversity!

Exploring Watercolour with Simon Carter

13 February - 20 June 2026

Multiple times available

Explore the art of watercolour with internationally exhibited contemporary artist Simon Carter in Exploring Watercolour with Simon Carter!

Is This Thing On? (Captioned)

03 March 2026

2:00 pm

Is This Thing On? As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex seeks new purpose in the comedy scene while Tess confronts her sacrifices.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

13 - 19 February 2026

Multiple times available

Expanding upon the world created by Boyle and Garland – but turning it on its head – Nia DaCosta directs 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.

Punkify Your Clothes with Posca Pens

31 January 2026

11:00 am

Learn how to decorate and personalise your own items of clothing in our Punkify your clothes with Posca Pens sustainable art workshop!

Exhibition on Screen: Turner and Constable

14 - 22 March 2026

Multiple times available

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, Exhibition on Screen: Turner and Constable explores their intertwined lives and legacies

H Is For Hawk

20 - 26 February 2026

Multiple times available

When Helen’s beloved father passes away, she is knocked sideways by grief and loses herself in memories of their time in H is for Hawk.

The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works

15 February 2026

2:00 pm

Virginia Woolf defied literary conventions to depict rich inner worlds – her startling and poignant reality in The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works.

R.E.M. X Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.

08 February 2026

2:00 pm

Pairing classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring a unique big screen experience with R.E.M. X Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.!

TASAF Study Day: Unravelling The Silk Road – Chris Alan Alexander

04 February 2026

10:00 am

Join us for a thought-provoking and insightful study day with Chris Alan Alexander in The Arts Society at Firstsite (TASAF) Lecture series!