I am sure you will receive many tributes to Kath Wood, but I would like to add my contribution.

Kath has been working for the visual arts in Colchester for 18 years and Firstsite gallery has been offered amazing exhibitions, starting with a Louise Bourgeois spider, later shown in a larger version at Tate Modern.

In the new building, we have already had a chance to see work by Ai Wei Wei, Carl Andre, Andy Warhol and Constable among others.

When Kath took over at the Minories in 1994, the First person she employed was an education officer, a new initiative for galleries.

She set an example to all other arts council-funded galleries, which soon started coming to her for advice.

Now education in galleries is taken for granted, but Kath was a pioneer. It was a huge achievement to get Firstsite built and without Kath’s dedication to the idea that Colchester should have the best contemporary gallery and community space in the world, Firstsite would never have been achieved.

She overcame so many difficulties and with considerable cost to herself, she eventually triumphed.

Sonia Coode-Adams MBE
Honorary president Firstsite
Feering