University Centre Colchester (UCC) – Degree Show

Sat 8 Mar – Sun 8 Jun 2025

 

Colchester is known for its vibrant cultural history, from art societies and schools to being the launchpad for bands like Blur. This exhibition showcases a dynamic range of multimedia works by 2nd and 3rd-year students from the University Centre Colchester at Colchester Institute. It celebrates the creativity sparked by art education, featuring both existing student pieces and works inspired by Firstsite and its current themes.

 

 

 

 

Elsa James: It Should Not Be Forgotten

Sat 29 Mar – Sun 6 Jul 2025

 

Renowned Essex artist Elsa James (b.1968) will present a powerful exhibition exploring her Black British heritage. Through new works in photography, print, neon, sound, and mixed media, she delves into themes of enslavement, psychological impact, and the fragmentation of identity, challenging Britain’s colonial past.

 

 

Acorn Village: 50 Years

Sat 26 Apr – Sun 7 Sep 2025

 

Following a series of celebrated exhibitions about The East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing at Benton End, this show shines a light on a different kind of creative community: Acorn Village in Manningtree. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Acorn Village, where adults with learning disabilities have found a supportive and inspiring environment to thrive.

In partnership with Acorn Village facilitators, the exhibition brings together over 50 pieces created by artists and residents in workshops at the Creative Centre over the last 20 years.

The works include stunning woven textiles, vibrant paintings, quirky street scene drawings, sculptures, and more, all inspired by Essex landscapes, popular culture, and the unique perspectives of this community.

 

 

Voyager 2000: Worldbuilding & Wonder?

Sat 19 Jul – Sun 2 Nov 2025

 

The BT Voyager 2000, trialled in Colchester in 1995, was an early interactive TV system that contributed to the growth of global communication networks. Art too has always played a key role in connecting people, from ancient cave paintings to today’s video games.

Essex has been at the heart of ground-breaking tech, from William Gilbert coining the term “electricus” in 1600 to Marconi’s wireless radio and Charles K. Kao’s fibre optics. Colchester also birthed the first online multiplayer game in the 1970s.

Inspired by these innovations, Voyager 2000: Worldbuilding & Wonder? will explore how artists and communities have used technology to connect and imagine, featuring interactive artworks, historic objects, and tech alongside contemporary pieces.

 

 

Sue Webster

Sat 15 Nov – Sun 1 Mar 2026

 

At the end of the year, we will present Sue Webster’s first UK institutional exhibition as a solo artist, following her celebrated collaborative career with Tim Noble. This landmark show centres around The Crime Scene, an installation Webster has been developing since 2019.  The work acts as an exorcism of sorts, weaving together personal objects and images from past and present to examine what it means to be an artist.

From this intricate web has emerged a series of artistic journeys, each sparked by the artist’s exploration of her influences. Among these threads is a reflection on her youth, shaped by the music of Siouxsie and the Banshees, which helped steer Webster through a difficult adolescence. This influence has inspired a dynamic body of work, including a memoir, a series of defaced leather jackets, and more recently, a striking series of self-portraits in oil.

This deeply introspective and powerful exploration forms the foundation of Webster’s upcoming exhibition, marking a bold new chapter in her career. It offers insight into the evolution of her artistic practice, highlighting her ability to transform personal experiences into arresting and thought-provoking works.

Exciting exhibitions are on the horizon this year, and these are just a few of the highlights! We’ll be sharing more updates in the months ahead, so don’t miss out. Sign up for our mailing list and choose ‘Exhibitions’ to be the first to hear about all the upcoming shows.
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Images:

 

  1. Photography by Aura Films 2. Elsa James: Living in the Wake of the Lust for Sugar, Film still, London, Sugar & Slavery Gallery, Museum of London Docklands, Image: Andy Delaney 2023 3. Acorn Artists, tapestry, undated. 4. Voyager 2000 Wallpaper, 2024, Firstsite 5. Sue Webster in her London Studio, Portrait by Frances Ware