April 2026 - Invest Colchester

Colchester arts venues awarded £1.5m from Arts Council England

Posted on April 16, 2026 | by Editor | Leave a Comment

Colchester venues have received a £1.5m government boost for the arts from the government as part of a £127.8m package from the Creative Foundations Fund to address urgent infrastructure needs and the Museum Estate and Development fund to help museums undertake vital infrastructure works and improve the visitor experience.

Firstsite has received the most money out of any Colchester organisation securing £995,000 in capital investment from Arts Council England.

Stagetext, based at the Mercury Theatre, has also been awarded £183,356 to continue its work making culture accessible and Colchester Museums’ Natural History Museum has been given £499,477.

Image credit: Colchester City Council

Colchester Institute's Alison Andreas, Principal and Chief Executive with Mark Emerson, Vice Principal, Curriculum Innovation and Transformation

Colchester Institute designated a Clean Energy Technical Excellence College (CETEC)

Posted on April 14, 2026 | by Editor | Leave a Comment

Colchester Institute has been given a share of £175m by the Government to transform it into a centre of technical excellence.

The government has awarded the Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs) status to 19 new colleges across the country but Colchester Institute is one of only five colleges to receive clean energy designation.

The funding aims to help deliver high-quality training in the sectors driving Britain’s growth such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and defence, as well as digital and technologies.

Picture credit: Colchester Institute

More follows: https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/26018112.colchester-institute-technical-excellence-college/

Mercury Theatre wins Sustainable Workplace of the Year Award

Posted on April 14, 2026 | by Editor | Leave a Comment

Colchester’s Mercury Theatre has been recognised by a regional awards scheme recently when it was named winner of the Sustainable Workplace of the Year award, sponsored by Indigo Swan, at the East Anglia Clean and Green Awards 2026.

The theatre has made significant strides by incorporating sustainability practices into its operations, with a strong focus on environmental responsibility and community engagement.

It operates on 100% renewable electricity, supported by a 67.5kW rooftop solar energy system that powers the building and returns surplus energy to the grid.

Image credit: East Anglian Daily Times / Matthew Potter Photography and Videography