The Island

The Island is a multi-use arts venue in the old Bridewell Police Station, right in the city centre. It has been run by community arts charity Artspace Lifespace since 2008 and is home to more than 100 resident artists.

By day the building holds dance and circus studios, a sewing room and a gallery. After dark, the Edwardian police cells, corridors and old training yard come alive with some of Bristol's most experimental club nights. Recent highlights have included Timedance's techno and bass nights, jungle, soul and Afrobeats from Nightspace, and late sessions from the leftfield festival En Masse.

The club space is at basement level with a capacity of about 300, and promoters often bring in serious sound systems for it. It is literally an underground venue, so it is not wheelchair accessible.

Upcoming nights include Wormhole on 24 October, Drawn Out and Distant Audio with Truly Madly on 30 October, Cirrina Sessions with Tim Reaper on 6 November and the Simple Things after party on 7 November.