A glitzy London celebration evening is being held to re-announce the architect for Colchester's £16m new art gallery.

The evening, which is expected to cost up to £3,000, will come five days after the first announcement is made in Colchester.

Kath Wood, director of the new Firstsite Newsite gallery, said: "We would never announce it in London first - it's Colchester that's important."

But the local announcement is to take place in the town hall and will lack the glamour of its London counterpart. FirstSite trustees and media will be among those invited.

Ms Wood said the London evening was "a thing we have to do to help fundraising".

"It's a national profile-raiser," she added.

People invited to the event are being asked to wear white and there will be colourful projections in the Jarvis Hall at the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Published Friday January 23, 2004

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