Art in Colchester

Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town, is the contemporary-art anchor of Essex. Firstsite — Rafael Viñoly's golden, curving gallery — brings major touring exhibitions and a serious commitment to artists in the region, while the University of Essex and the town's studios keep a flow of new work coming. The soft Stour Valley landscape of Constable and Gainsborough begins just to the north.

Use this guide to find artists based in and around Colchester — across north Essex and the Stour Valley villages towards Dedham and the Suffolk border — alongside the galleries showing their work and the exhibitions on now.