The Island

Arts facility and events space, based in Bristol City Centre

Venue > The Island

Location info –
Nelson Street, Bristol, BS1 2BE
For full access information please download our accessibility document.

The Island

Nelson Street, Bristol, BS1 2BE

Get directions
Opening times
Monday to Friday: 10am – 10pm
Weekends: 10am – 5pm
Contacts
Call: 0117 376 3457
Email: info@theisland.uk

See individual venues for features and hire rates.

Watch The Island documentary 2015 (12:30)

Multi-use creative spaces

We are a studio complex, arts facility and events space, based in the Old Bridewell Police Station in Bristol city centre.

The Island is part of Artspace Lifespace. The charity recycles vacant, underused and problem properties into thriving creative resources. We host over 100 resident artists and boast a Circus Training Space, Dance Studio, artist studios, music studios, and a spacious art gallery.

Covid notice

We encourage people to wear masks in our buildings and ask that people do not visit if they feel unwell.

Get in touch with info@theisland.uk for our full COVID safety measures.

Venues at The Island

Dance Space

The Dance Space runs a wide variety of classes and training sessions as well as being available for private hire.

Circus Training Space

The Island Circus Training Space offers many classes in circus-related disciplines, including silks, rope, aerial hoop, trapeze and acro yoga.

Gallery Space

A beautiful large white and bright hireable gallery space with lantern ceiling and ancillary room located on the first floor of The Island.

The Island Venue

The licensed venue is available to host immersive performance, talks, exhibition and nightclub events.

Island Artist Studios

Work along side like minded creative people

Latest news

  • Unlocking Potential: The Impact of Unrestricted Funding on Artspace Lifespace
    What a difference a grant makes Funding serves as the lifeblood for organisations dedicated to serving their missions and nurturing thriving communities. However, not all funding opportunities are created equal. Unrestricted funding offered us a breath of fresh air, flexibility and empowerment in a landscape often dominated by restrictive funding streams. In 2023, Artspace Lifespace […]
  • Roots Of Resilience: Saving Community Spaces
    We’ve been reflecting a lot recently on space for culture and creativity. Our sister company THE INVISIBLE CIRCUS COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY parted ways from Artspace Lifespace when they wanted longer-term security than meanwhile community space could offer. Ironically in the same year that Artspace Lifespace celebrated 15 years of meanwhile space at #theislandbristol, the Invisible Circus received notice […]
  • 🤖 March highlights at Artspace 🤖
    Boobies, Broadmead XP and celebrations for International Women’s Day at our buildings this March.
  • A Sad Farewell to Unit 15
    A new development on an industrial estate in St Philip’s may see us lose one of Bristol’s key cultural institutions from the city as the Invisible Circus are pushed out of Unit 15.
  • Broadmead XP
    In 2023 Artspace Lifespace continued on our mission to recycle vacant, under-used and problem properties into thriving creative resources and took on management of a retail unit in The Galleries, Broadmead, called Broadmead XP. Broadmead XP houses the retro gaming emporium Playback Arcade a freeplay arcade run and owned by enthusiastic long-term gamers and friends, Mark […]