STRUTTING across Colchester on a treasure hunt could see you win £2,000 and more if the momentum of the launch is any indication.

Competitors set off at the weekend for the launch of Street Hunt, the arts project being run by Colchester Arts Centre with the help of performance artist Joshua Sofaer.

Even Anthony Roberts, director of the arts centre, was surprised at how hard the puzzle is and says it is likely to take weeks to solve.

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Andre Kimchi© 

“When people got their hands on the book, it was a mixture of delight and horror because it’s very difficult,” he laughed.

“I wasn’t expecting it to be so hard. It’s not straightforward and people aren’t going to get it very quickly.

“There’s a lot of money at stake and people will need to have a strategy.”

International artist Joshua wrote a poem using Colchester street names and has published a book of photographs showing the relevant street signs and their surroundings - but with the names removed.

Participants just need to work out what the missing names are to complete the poem in the book.

However, there are 100 street names.

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Andre Kimche© 

He added: “I reckon it will take at least three weeks, but I think someone will solve it because it’s a really good challenge.

“Street Hunt is a very beautiful piece of art because it’s a fine art project within a popular context.

“Lots of people find walking into a local venue such as a gallery or theatre, is just not a place for them.

“People can enter because they’re serial competition entrants or want to know more about Colchester, for fun with their family, or because they’re focussed on getting their hands on the prize money.”

Gazette:

Andre Kimchi© 

The prize will be the amount of total book sales with a guaranteed minimum of £1,000.

Books cost £10, available from Red Lion Books, with the option to pay what you can afford.

Manager Peter Donaldson said: “We had a queue of allsorts of people waiting outside.

"The town crier made a proclamation, there was a fanfare and a great sense of occasion.

“We benefitted from having people in the shop as shopkeepers always like a full shop.”

Gazette:

Andre Kimchi© 

Visit colchesterartscentre.com for more information.