Experience artworks with your ears

An abstract sculpture of a woman laying on the floor, with one leg raised above her.

Hilary Cartmel, ‘Sprawling Red Woman’, 1984, Wood.

Listen to in-depth audio descriptions of artworks featured in last year’s Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme exhibition, ‘Tell me the story of all these things’ – each chosen by radical women of Colchester.

Tap the artworks listed below to experience a detailed narration from Firstsite’s Programme Manager for Communities, Emma Reeve.

Hilary Cartmel: ‘Sprawling Red Woman’ (1984)
Kathy Prendergast: ‘Mittens and Moth Eggs’ (2000)
Katie Cuddon: ‘Shame’ (2014)
Sarah Lucas: ‘Fighting Fire with Fire’ (1996)

See more posts on our Online Studio

Swipe right and find your art match!

Art Crush is a free and exciting art app, providing fun, quick and easy access to artworks in the Arts Council Collection – the most widely circulated national loan collection of modern and contemporary British art.

 

Discover the art you love and create your own collection anywhere, anytime, on your mobile, tablet or computer.

Download the app

Music inspired by art

 

musician working at a desk with computers and music making equipment

Online Studio user ‘Reborn2Life’ writes and records electronic music tracks in our exhibition spaces, taking inspiration from the artworks around them.

Tap the links below to hear their musical interpretations of our past exhibitions.

‘Cory Arcangel: Back Off’ (2019) vol 1
‘Cory Arcangel: Back Off’ (2019) vol 2
‘Lilah Fowler: Code Clay, Data Dirt’ (2019)
‘Tell me the story of all these things’ (2020)

Feel inspired to make your own tracks? Create your own Online Studio account and upload them!

Visit the Online Studio

Hand-painted calligraphy in action

close up of artist artist Ismail Üzümlü writing on the wall with a paintbrush

Inspired by the tradition of Islamic calligraphy, Firstsite’s Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme exhibition, ‘My name is not Refugee’, features hand-painted calligraphy created by artist Ismail Üzümlü.

Watch a film by LGOC Videography, made during the installation of the exhibition in November 2020, which features Ismail painting directly onto the walls of the exhibition in English, Arabic, Farsi and Turkish.

Watch the video

Get creative in the kitchen

recipe card for creme brulee

As part of our exhibition ‘My name is not Refugee’, we’re asking people to share a recipe that is special to them on our Online Studio.

Whether it’s the perfect cheese on toast or the ultimate crème brûlée, we’d love to know what your signature dish is!

Why not have a go at making other people’s recipes? Add a comment to the recipe post and share how you got on, or create your own post and upload a photo.

Visit the Online Studio

Get arty with the kids using healthy foods

artists iris and tom in the art cave playing with vegetables

In the food themed episode of our kids’ YouTube series, ‘The Art Cave’, artists Iris and Tom find a hamper of food and decide to get making!

Join them to make potato prints, turning vegetables into animals, and salt dough into sculptures.

Watch the video

More hands on fun for families

Firstsite Create at Home activity - Sing along a string - pots with string

Use pots or cans to make a telephone, with our ‘sing-along-string activity that invites you to explore how vibrations transmit speech from one place to another. No specialist materials required – anyone can have a go!

View the activity

Exciting announcement coming soon...

Keep an eye on your inbox for some great, big arty news next week. Shhh, no peeking!

We need your support

As a charity, we rely on your donations so that we can support our community and provide the best art, culture and creativity for everyone.

Please consider making a donation of whatever you can afford, and help us continue to host free online events and activities, free exhibitions for all, and run projects like our Holiday Fun programme that offers free meals and activities for families.

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