Colchester Arts Centre

The Colchester Arts Centre Box Office Opening Hours: Monday – 10:00-17:00 Tuesday – 10:00-17:00 Wednesday – 10:00-17:00 Thursday – 10:00-17:00 Friday – 10:00-17:00 Saturday – 10:00-14:00 Sunday – Closed The venue opening hours depend on the event being held. Check the website or event diary for exact times. The venue has a bar and late licence until 11pm. The Colchester Arts Centre is a live music venue that hosts bands DJs, club nights, comedy nights, plays, food and drink festivals and more throughout the year. This important community space is located in the heart of Colchester in Essex, which was recently granted city status. History The Arts Centre is located inside an old church (St Mary at the Wall) which gives it fantastic acoustics and suits the many metal bands I’ve seen there over the years. The building dates back to 1286 and still incorporates many elements from its time as a working church including the ornate stained-glass windows, and a large, secluded graveyard, which is a pleasant place to sit with a drink during one of the many festivals the venue hosts. The building itself has seen many important events in the city’s history, most notably as a cannon emplacement during the English Civil War. Legend has it that this is where the famous Nursery Rhyme Humpty Dumpty originated, with the cannon falling from the wall and being destroyed, however there is no solid evidence of this and is likely just a folk tale. Colchester’s Arts Centre has been running since 1980 (one year before I was born) and is arguably one of Colchester’s most important creative spaces. The venue is run by a dedicated team of locals who have a passion for music, the arts and entertainment. Past Performers Some of the artists that have performed at the Arts Centre include everyone from local Colchester boys Blur to Coldplay, The Libertines and the Killers to name but a few. It’s also a fantastic place for those into more obscure music subgenres from heavy metal to noise and powe...