THE director of Colchester Arts Centre is set to become the new boss at Firstsite.

Anthony Roberts will be taking on the post of interim director on a one-year contract, with a view to extending it on a rolling basis.

Following the announcement yesterday, he said: “I love Colchester. I love the arts and I am delighted about the opportunity to add my little bit to the brilliant team at Firstsite.

“I’ve lived and worked in Colchester for 24 years this September. I’ve seen Firstsite evolve from a twinkle in Kath Wood’s eye in the Nineties to the stunning building it is today.

“Firstsite is a glorious piece of architecture, she’s been the home of some brilliant exhibitions, but she’s also very young. She hasn’t quite found her voice yet.”

Mr Roberts said he hopes he can unlock the building as a social space. He said: “What makes buildings really come alive is people. All sorts of people, enjoying all sorts of art.

“I hope we can use the full glory of the space to fill it with beauty and people.

“We want to be playful and generous and, I think, open to ideas and creativity. We want variety, balance and fun.”

Mr Roberts replaces Matthew Rowe, who stood down earlier this month after two-and-a-half years as director.

Arts Council England placed Firstsite under a “special funding arrangement” in February because of concerns over its viability.

Its three-year, £800,000-ayear funding was replaced with a one-year grant of £800,000, and it will only be reinstated if it proves sustainable.

A spokesman from the arts council said it supported the new appointment.

Mr Roberts said: “It is a great challenge and a great pleasure to be invited to join the team. Arts organisations are delicate creatures.When I joined Colchester Arts Centre, there had been a rollercoaster history of success and crisis and it took a while to stabilise.

“The binding, driving passion that keeps us all on track is the belief the arts can change people’s lives forever.

I can’t wait to get started.”

Mr Roberts will continue to be director of the Colchester Arts Centre.

Tim Young, councillor responsible for culture at Colchester Council, said Mr Roberts was the best person to make visiting Firstsite a fun, entertaining experience.

He said: “Anthony has always taken a keen interest in what’s going on at Firstsite.

He has got some fantastic ideas for the building and we support him in whatever he has planned.”

  • Mr Young (Lab) is standing against Chris Hill (Con), Joshua Murray (Green) and Verity Woolley (Lib Dem) in Colchester Council’s St Andrew’s ward.

Success in town

COLCHESTER Arts Centre is a success story for the town.

Mr Roberts has put on a mix of stand-up comedy, live music and cutting-edge theatre for many years.

It has also been one of the leading lights in the country’s performance art scene, regularly bringing in big names in the genre, such as Franco B.

Born and brought up in Watford, Mr Roberts began his career working in various arts centres, from Salisbury to the Old Bull, in Barnet, North London, before arriving in Colchester in 1991.

He became heavily involved with the Escalator’s East to Edinburgh scheme, taking young local talent up to the Fringe for a number of years.

He has played an important part in the development of many artist’s careers, including Coggeshall performance poet Luke Wright, now one of the country’s leading poets and the curator of the poetry tent at the Latitude Festival.

Mr Roberts has become a popular member of the town’s artistic community.