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.

Rebecca Riess: Lossless

14 March - 07 June 2026

How do we cope with the noise of the modern world? Rebecca Riess invites you to explore this question through a bold and immersive series of otherworldly large-scale sculptures and installations.

Sue Webster: Punk Weekender

09 - 10 May 2026

Close out the final weekend of Sue Webster: Birth of an Icon in style with a variety of workshops/events we’ve lined up for you, your families, and friends!

This Is England + Q&A

15 May 2026

7:00 pm

A young boy becomes friends with a gang of skinheads. Friends soon become like family, and relationships will be pushed to the very limit.

Opening Celebration | Godfried Donkor: It’s a Numbers Game

22 May 2026

Multiple times available

Join us for a special evening event to celebrate the opening of ‘It’s a Numbers Game’, Godfried Donkor’s first UK institutional show at Firstsite!

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Captioned)

31 May 2026

11:00 am

Twenty years after making their iconic turns as Miranda, Andy, Emily and Nigel – Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the fashionable street.

Funny Girl – The Musical

07 - 09 May 2026

Multiple times available

Funny Girl is the bittersweet musical comedy telling the story of the indomitable Fanny Brice, a girl from the Lower East Side who dreamed of a life on the stage and her tempestuous relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nick Arnstein.

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.

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.

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.

Krafty Kids

19 April - 20 September 2026

Multiple times available

Krafty Kids is a monthly creative workshop designed for young people aged 9-14 who are curious about art and enjoy making their own work.

Hitpig! (Relaxed)

23 May 2026

11:00 am

When your kitty’s left the city, when your moose is on the loose, when your cow has said ciao, call Hitpig, the world’s greatest animal tracker. Hitpig (Jason Sudeikis) is a bounty hunting pig who catches escaped animals and…

Modernist Painting: Cubism and Still Life

20 June 2026

10:00 am

Explore Modernist painting approaches to still life through Cubism and early abstraction, inspired by artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Braque, and create your own Cubist-inspired oil painting.

University Centre Colchester (UCC): To Be Continued

18 April - 05 July 2026

Celebrate the next generation of Colchester’s artists in this dynamic, two-part exhibition from students at University Centre Colchester.

National Theatre Live: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

25 - 28 June 2026

Multiple times available

Manville joins Turner in a striking new staging of Hampton’s celebrated adaptation in National Theatre Live: Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

EcoArt Collage and Craft

13 February - 12 June 2026

Multiple times available

Join us for our EcoArt Collage and Craft workshop with Clare Sams where creativity meets sustainability in this unique group experience!

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!

Paint Like…

20 February - 18 September 2026

Multiple times available

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

Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels

16 September 2023 - 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.

Father Mother Sister Brother

01 - 26 May 2026

Multiple times available

Winner of the Golden Lion Best Film prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, Father Mother Sister Brother is the eagerly-awaited new film from Jim Jarmusch.

Mother Mary

22 May 2026

7:50 pm

Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm.

National Theatre Live: The Playboy of the Western World

28 May - 07 June 2026

Multiple times available

Coughlan, Hardwicke and McSweeney in Synge’s riveting play of self-discovery, National Theatre Live: The Playboy of the Western World.

Punk Portraits

09 May 2026

11:00 am

Join us to create a stunning self-portrait, which you will then transform into a bold Punk Portrait icon.

Mini Movers & Makers Toddler Group

26 March - 24 September 2026

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.

Punk Weekender Screening – Sid & Nancy

09 May 2026

5:30 pm

The relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist for British punk group Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen is portrayed.

Punk Weekender Screening – Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist

10 May 2026

11:30 am

The first film to encompass the remarkable story of one of the true icons of our time, Dame Vivienne Westwood, as she fights to maintain her brand’s integrity, her principles – and her legacy.

Punkify Your Clothes

10 May 2026

2:00 pm

Bring your own items of clothing to this sustainable art workshop and learn how to decorate and personalise them using vibrant Posca pens!

Rose of Nevada (Captioned)

02 June 2026

2:00 pm

Rose of Nevada follows a fishing boat, lost with all hands 30 years ago, that mysteriously returns.

The Drama

01 - 22 May 2026

Multiple times available

A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.

Boozy Brushes

13 February - 18 September 2026

Multiple times available

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

The Land Of Sometimes (Relaxed)

16 May 2026

11:00 am

Twins Alfie and Elise get more than they bargained for after summoning the mysterious Wish Collector, an enigmatic character who whisks them away to The Land of Sometimes – an incredible place where all four seasons pass in just…

The Stranger

08 - 13 May 2026

Multiple times available

In 1930s Algeria, the apathetic Meursault shows total indifference to life. His emotional detachment leads to a murder, then trial that scrutinises his character.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Parent & Baby)

04 June 2026

10:30 am

Twenty years after making their iconic turns as Miranda, Andy, Emily and Nigel – Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the fashionable street.

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!

D Is For Distance

01 - 06 May 2026

Multiple times available

A film essay montage of contemporary footage, archive and cinema history, about the age of post-truth and how one young man’s childhood epilepsy…

David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (Relaxed)

30 May 2026

11:00 am

David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet is David’s witness statement; for the first time sharing his views direct to his global audience and calling for mankind to urgently.

Glenrothan (Captioned)

14 May 2026

1:30 pm

This screening will be shown with the addition of captions throughout the film. A hearing loop is also available in the Cinema.   Legendary actor Brian Cox makes his indelible directorial debut with this tense drama about family and…

Make a Mini Clay Icon

09 May 2026

Multiple times available

Create a mini clay icon inspired by someone you love, or craft a bold, punky piece that celebrates your individuality and personal style.