1. Elemental Forces by Val Bonnett, Minories Gallery, High Street, Colchester, until April 26. 10am to 4pm. Free. 01206 712437.

The former Colchester school of art student, now based in Suffolk, is back in the town exhibiting a wide variety of gorgeous works all inspired by her relationship with the natural world around her whether that’s coastal rivers, general country landscapes or garden studies.

2. Reel Lives, Wivenhoe Free Film Festival, Nottage Institute and William Loveless Hall, today until April 29, various times. wivenhoefilmfestival.org.uk

Highlights of the town’s inaugural event include several big movie hitters such as All The President’s Men and Battle of the Sexes plus some little known gems like Chasing Choral and Makala, a poetic documentary about one man’s struggles to make a living in rural Africa.

3. Say Sue Me, SuperGlu, Sam Eagle and The Lemon Lizards, Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester, Tuesday, doors 7.30pm. £7, £6 concessions. 01206 500900.

Say Sue Me are a surf-inspired indie rock quartet from Busan, South Korea. who are picking up considerable BBC6Music Radio as well as debuting at this year’s SXSW in Austin Texas. There’s some pretty mean local support on this gig as well.

4. Plastic, Mercury Studio Theatre, Balkerne Gate, Colchester, Thursday until Saturday, 8pm and 2.30pm (Saturday). £13.50 plus discounts. 01206 573948.

Essex playwright Kenneth Emson’s highly charged dramatic new play about the effects of growing up in an Essex school.

5. Wivenhoe Funny Farm, Wivenhoe Town Cricket Club, Rectory Road, Thursday, 8pm. £7, £5.50 concessions. 07716514878.

The brilliant Funny Farm is back with another cracking line-up including headliners Brian Damage and Krysstal, whose unconventional vaudeville-style act is punctuated by silly songs and the odd bit of Spanish dancing. Support comes from Sarah Bennetto, Danny Hurst and Colchester’s Lee Ashcroft.