Firstsite

Firstsite is a visual arts organisation based in Colchester, Essex, which opened in 2011.[1]

Firstsite
Firstsite art gallery in Colchester
Location within Essex
Established2011
LocationColchester, Essex, England
Coordinates51.889°N 0.906°E / 51.889; 0.906
DirectorSally Shaw
Websitefirstsite.uk
Berryfield Mosaic. The mosaic, discovered on the site, is the gallery's only permanent exhibit.

The building Firstsite occupy as tenants was designed by Rafael Viñoly and the freehold is retained by Colchester Council.[2] The building is situated in Colchester's "Cultural Quarter" near The Minories, Colchester, fifteen Queen Street (a creative business hub), the Norman Colchester Castle, the Natural History Museum, Hollytrees Museum and Colchester's Roman Wall.

Its exhibits are on a rolling six-monthly basis, starting with Camulodunum.[3] It cooperated with Essex University to show South American art until 2013.[4][5][6] Firstsite has no permanent art collection of its own.[7]

Firstsite is a registered charity under English law.[8]

Exhibitions

Critical appraisal

The gallery's opening received a considerable evaluation in the press. The Guardian criticized the sloping walls and the architect, Viñoly.[22] It also examined it in terms of the economic expectations towards it and in comparison with other regional galleries.[23] However, The Independent praised the inaugural exhibition Camulodunum.[24] The Daily Telegraph has criticized the expense of the project,[25] which cost £25,542,701 to build,[26] and also highlighted concerns that more than half of its 147,000 annual visitors only entered to use the lavatory.[27] In 2015 Firstsite had its status as an Arts Council funded National Portfolio Organisation withdrawn.[28][29] The Arts Council consequently reduced their annual subsidy to Firstsite by £10 per year from £814,527 to £814,517.[30]

In February 2018 it was announced that Firstsite had returned to Arts Council 'National Portfolio Organisation' status despite having only recorded 131,663 visitors in the previous year and having made a loss of £243,000. The return to 'National Portfolio Organisation' status for Firstsite saw an increase in funding of £5 per year, to £814,512 per year, secured for four years.[31] On 22 March 2018 it was announced Dr Noorzaman Rashid, Robert Surnam and Helen Organ resigned from their roles as trustees at Firstsite.[32][33][34]

See also

References
  1. "firstsite". Firstsite. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  2. "firstsite". Colchester Borough Council. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  3. "firstsite". Firstsite. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  4. "University of Essex to rehouse its Latin American collection". artinternet.net. 2014. Retrieved 2016-06-11.
  5. "Works on Display". ESCALA University of Essex. Retrieved 2016-06-11.
  6. "firstsite". Firstsite. 2011-12-09. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  7. "firstsite". Art Fund. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  8. Charity Commission. Firstsite Limited, registered charity no. 1031800.
  9. "John Virtue: The Sea". Art Rabbit. 2015-06-09. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  10. "Chris Seaber – Assembled Paintings and Drawings". Keep Colchester Cool. 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  11. "Chris Seaber – Assembled Paintings and Drawings". Art Rabbit. 2015-09-01. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  12. "First Open Art Exhibition". Colchester Gazette. 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  13. "Firstsite Open Exhibition". ENAS. 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  14. "Wivenhoe artist James Dodds back at Firstsite Art Gallery". Colchester Gazette. 2015-12-10. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  15. "70 Years of Colchester Art Society". Art Rabbit. 2016-06-28. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  16. "Simon Carter CV". Simon Carter website. 2016-06-28. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  17. "Colchester Art Society, an Exhibition Celebrating 70 Years of Discovery". Line Up. 2016-06-28. Retrieved 2018-01-28.
  18. "Gee Vaucher: Introspective", Firstsite. Accessed 22 July 2017
  19. "Grayson Perry: The Life of Julie Cope: 1 January - 18 February 2018 10am - 5pm Tapestry of Essex Everywoman’s life caught at Grayson Perry’s Firstsite show", Firstsite. Accessed 9 January 2018
  20. Mark Edwards "Tapestry of Essex Everywoman’s life caught at Grayson Perry’s Firstsite show", Ipswich Star, 12 December 2017. Accessed 9 January 2018
  21. "Rose Finn-Kelcey: Power for the People". Visit Colchester. 2017-12-02. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  22. Rowan Moore (2011-09-18). "Firstsite – review | Art and design". London: The Observer. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  23. Maev Kennedy (2011-09-22). "Colchester's Firstsite for sore eyes | Art and design". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  24. McLean, Laura (2011-10-21). "Camulodunum, Firstsite, Colchester - Reviews - Art". London: The Independent. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  25. Art (2011-10-14). "firstsite gallery, Colchester: £25 million well-spent?". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  26. "firstsite". Colchester Borough Council. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2018-01-26.
  27. "Firstsite gallery only used by people to spend a penny". www.telegraph.co.uk. 2014-02-14. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  28. "Firstsite in Funding Crisis". Colchester Gazette. 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  29. "Firstsite to Lose Arts Council England NPO Status". Artists Newsletter. 2015-02-16. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  30. "Firstsite Gallery Lose National Portfolio Status". www.artsprofessional.co.uk. 2015-02-15. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  31. "Firstsite has finally turned the corner... despite £243k loss last year". www.gazette-news.co.uk. 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
  32. "Firstsite boss 'had to go' as questions continue to linger over £100k payments". Chelmsford and Mid Essex Times. 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  33. "Questions over £100k payments to HR firm". Colchester Gazette. 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  34. "Firstsite trustees resign as company instructs auditors". Jumbo News. 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
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