The Island

Former police station turned creative playground

The Island is a vibrant multi-use venue in the heart of Bristol city centre. Once occupied by Bridewell Police Station, it’s been in the hands of community arts charity Artspace Lifespace since 2008.

Home to over 100 resident artists, The Island boasts a diverse mix of spaces and facilities including dance and circus training studios, a sewing room and an art gallery, while doubling up as a thriving events venue – covering live music, workshops and classes, immersive performance art, and more.

After dark the Edwardian cells come alive with experimental club nights, recent highlights including Timedance’s forward-thinking techno and bass nights, jungle, soul and Afrobeats from Nightspace, and late-night sessions from leftfield festival En Masse.

The 300-capacity venue is at basement level and is not wheelchair accessible. Free tickets are available for personal assistants. See https://artspace.uk/venue/the-island/ for details of the different event spaces within the building.

— Read more — Read less

What's On At The Island

DJ Marcelle, Copper Sounds, k means, Sarahsson tickets

— The Island

electronic experimental techno footwork lgbtq+

En Masse 2026: After Party w/ severine, Special Guest , Om Unit tickets

— The Island

dub dubstep electro techno festival

Sunshine School of Pro Wrestling: Fundamentals Class

— The Island

workshops & classes theatre sport & exercise

Solace - Atmosphere in Motion

— The Island

experimental workshops & classes exhibition-opening exhibition

Forma x Nerve Collect: Identified Patient, Dual Monitor & severine tickets

— The Island

dubstep electro experimental techno tech house

Palestine Through the Lens: Photography Exhibition

— The Island

festival exhibition film

Grama10 - lifeisfeedback, amaia, bkv cadavre tickets

— The Island

goth dubstep 140 techno

PLU Dance w/ Chloe tickets

— The Island

electro house new wave post-punk lgbtq+

RTN w/ Luigi Tozzi tickets

— The Island

minimal techno electro techno industrial techno

A Workshop for Children: “ExplorArabica”

— The Island

festival workshops & classes family

Saied Silbak: in Concert

— The Island

festival film

Regis featuring Liam Andrews + Anina + Jay Galligan tickets

— The Island

electronic experimental techno noise

Dis Fig + Cold Light, HARRGA in Bristol

— The Island

dub electronic experimental rap noise

Grama 11 - kelan, rosa methol, finn treadway tickets

— The Island

experimental 140 breakbeat techno

It's Okay tickets

— The Island

drone dubstep electronic experimental noise

Objekt tickets

— The Island

dubstep electro uk garage techno tech house

AM x PTS ϟ NYE 2027 tickets

— The Island

experimental house techno grime footwork

Dismantle Collective Third Birthday: BOBBY., Bruno Schmidt, Willow tickets

— The Island

acid house electro house techno tech house

Get a feel for The Island

Our recent recommendations for The Island

Free entry! See Palestine through the eyes of its own people in the work of photographers from across the region. 30 photos starkly depict life during genocide; showing the seeds of a free Palestine pushing through the rubble in moments of beauty and resistance that shine through utter devastation. Palestine Through the Lens: Photography Exhibition at The Island.

Identified Patient conjures cyber-goth-coded technoid club fodder, ready made for the gloomier corners of everyone’s favourite techno club-cum-underworld. Meanwhile, Dual Monitor deliver a marginally more tropical, trench-coats-on-holiday set of fiery rhythmical mutants and groaning alien heavers in the techno-bass lineage. Forma x Nerve Collect: Identified Patient, Dual Monitor & severine at The Island.

Free entry! The Island hosts Somerset artist Beth Blake for a four-day run. Debuting a new collection of brooding, abstract works across paper and canvas, her Turner-inspired land, sea and skyscapes capture the mercurial moods of the West Country weather in a welcome dose of autumnal romanticism. Solace - Atmosphere in Motion at The Island.

The subsonic-powered En Masse machine must be kept clanking through the night! Channelling the energy: the ever-versatile Om Unit conjuring acid dub cyber-gear by way of bleeding-edge bass-and-breaks + Severine jacking in with dystopian half-time and corroded IDM. The final club scientist in the triptych remains veiled until proceedings begin... En Masse 2026: After Party w/ severine, Special Guest , Om Unit at The Island.

Ok ok ok ok. DJ Marcelle is punk in her own odd way: bonkers turntablism ft. wonky dubstep, percussive scraps, tractor sounds, goat noises and a whole lotta distortion. She arrives in timely fashion for Ceramic boiz Copper Sounds’ new release party with mega support from Sarahsson and k means’ ultra-spun-out club excursions. Deranged club fulfillment … cripes! DJ Marcelle, Copper Sounds, k means, Sarahsson at The Island.