TWO creative arts leaders will be awarded honorary degrees when University Centre Colchester, at Colchester Institute, holds its graduation ceremonies.

Anthony Roberts, director of Colchester Arts Centre, and artist Keith Albarn, will receive one of higher education’s most prestigious tributes.

Honorary degrees are given to people who merit special recognition for outstanding achievement in their field.

Mr Roberts came to Colchester in 1991 to first take up the post of director at the arts centre.

After being appointed as Firstsite’s interim director last year to help revive the struggling gallery, he returned to the Arts Centre at the end of 2015.

Before arriving in Colchester he worked at both the Salisbury Arts Centre and at the Old Bull Arts Centre, in London.

His now renowned career in the arts has seen him champion new writers, musicians and performers including Harry Hill, Graham Norton, Eddie Izzard, Coldplay, The Libertines andThe Strokes which went on to international fame.

Mr Albarn was head of art, design and media at Colchester Institute for 16 years until 1997.

He was active in the town’s arts scene including as a trustee at the Minories Galleries, District Visual Arts Trust, the Film Workshop and Trinity Street Artist’s Studios.

These organisations, combined with Colchester Council, led to the formation of both Cuckoo Farm Studios and Firstsite.

As an artist his current work complements and expands on his work of visual perception, where he focuses on pattern as a psychological phenomenon.

He is planning a follow up to his 2003 exhibition, Pattern and Belief.

He is the father of Blur frontman Damon Albarn, a former Colchester Sixth Form Centre student.

Mr Roberts and Mr Albarn will receive their honorary degrees during University Centre Colchester’s graduation ceremony, at Colchester Town Hall, on October 8.