page_title: Colchester
section_title: Arts
hierarchical_section_title: Colchester / Culture / Arts
caption_attribution_description: English: ‘Balkerne Star’ designed by Anne Schwegmann-Fielding, Balkerne Heights, Colchester - made in 2006 and inspired by a roman mosaic flooring found in Colchester.
context_page_description: Colchester is a historic market town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in the county of Essex. Colchester was the first Roman-founded Colonia in Britain, and Colchester lays claim to be regarded as Britain's oldest recorded town. It was for a time the capital of Roman Britain, and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network.
  Situated on the River Colne, Colchester is 50 miles northeast of London and is connected to the capital by the A12 road and its railway station which is on the Great Eastern Main Line. It is seen as a popular town for commuters, and is less than 30 miles from London Stansted Airport and 20 miles from the passenger ferry port of Harwich.
  Colchester is home to Colchester Castle and Colchester United Football Club. The demonym is Colcestrian.
context_section_description: Opened in 1972, the Mercury Theatre is a repertory theatre. Located nearby is Colchester Arts Centre, a multi-function arts venue located in the former St Mary-at-the-Walls church, and home of the Colchester Beer Festival. The Headgate Theatre is also located in Colchester.
  firstsite is a contemporary art organisation, based in the Visual Arts Facility, which was designed by Rafael Viñoly, and opened in September 2011, at a total cost of approximately £25.5 million, £9 million more than the original estimate.
  The Minories houses The Minories Galleries, which is managed by Colchester Institute and presents contemporary exhibitions by artists from the region. The building is owned by the Victor Batte-Lay Foundation.
  There are several other bars with live music in the town..
  In 2009, an art collective called 'Slack Space' took up some of the closed-down shops in the town and converted them into art galleries with the hope of promoting art and design in the town. The Colchester School of Art and Design is based in the Colchester Institute near the centre of the town.
  Colchester Film Festival the largest film festival in Essex takes place annually in October showcasing a selection of new feature and short films by filmmakers from around the world.
caption: 'Balkerne Star' designed by Anne Schwegmann-Fielding, Balkerne Heights, Colchester – made in 2006 and inspired by a Roman mosaic flooring found in Colchester.
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