# Bristol Creative Directory

> 1093 grassroots and independent creative venues, pubs, sound systems and DJ collectives, studios, arts collectives, makers and fashion brands, record labels, bands, services, circular economy projects, organisations and festivals in Bristol, UK. A community-built map of Bristol's cultural infrastructure. Kept by The Bristol Creative Co, a not-for-profit artist development network (WhatsApp community of 1,500+ creatives) founded by Ray (Ridwanul Kabir Shakib), Kwazi and Bristol's creative community, which grew out of the Club395 venue (St Jude's, Bristol, 2023 to February 2026). Proof of concept, made and funded by Ray.

Grassroots and independent first, corporate and chain last. Individuals are listed only when they ask to be. Paid Featured listings and offers are labelled. Websites checked October 2026.

## Directories
- [Venues](https://thebristolcreative.co/venues/): 75 listings. Grassroots (small and independent) music venues, clubs, arts centres, theatres and community spaces. Small places come first. Big and corporate venues come last.
- [Pub and bar venues](https://thebristolcreative.co/pub-venues/): 71 listings. Pubs, bars and cafés with live music, jams, DJs, comedy or a space you can hire. Independents first, chains last.
- [Sound systems and crews](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/): 189 listings. Sound systems, rigs (sound kit for hire), DJ collectives and promoters (people who run nights). They cover Bristol's club nights, from roots and dub to jungle, techno and Afrobeats.
  - [Dub and reggae](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/dub-and-reggae/): 18 listings
  - [Jungle and DnB](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/jungle-and-dnb/): 29 listings
  - [Garage, bassline and UKG](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/garage-bassline-and-ukg/): 9 listings
  - [Dubstep and 140](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/dubstep-and-140/): 2 listings
  - [Techno and house](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/techno-and-house/): 25 listings
  - [Afrobeats, dancehall and hip-hop](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/afrobeats-dancehall-and-hip-hop/): 9 listings
  - [Experimental](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/experimental/): 8 listings
  - [Inclusive and multi-genre](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/inclusive-and-multi-genre/): 54 listings
  - [Rigs](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/rigs/): 13 listings
  - [Promoters and platforms](https://thebristolcreative.co/sound-systems/promoters-and-platforms/): 22 listings
- [Studios](https://thebristolcreative.co/studios/): 71 listings. Where to record, rehearse, mix, master (finish a track for release), film and dance. Rates are shown where we could find them. Two studios are free.
- [Collectives](https://thebristolcreative.co/collectives/): 103 listings. Artist-run spaces, print and zine groups, muralists, theatre companies, poets, dancers, community events and the art trails.
- [Makers and fashion](https://thebristolcreative.co/makers/): 51 listings. Independent fashion and streetwear brands, ceramics studios and potters, textile spaces, tattoo studios, jewellers and furniture makers.
- [Record labels](https://thebristolcreative.co/labels/): 33 listings. Bristol labels from dubstep, drum and bass and techno to punk, folk and grime, plus a few that run record shops.
- [Bands](https://thebristolcreative.co/bands/): 95 listings. Bristol bands across punk, metal, indie, folk, soul and more. Many first listed themselves on Bristol's Local Artists, a free database of Bristol acts. Missing yours? Get listed.
- [Services](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/): 160 listings. Printers and merch, photo, video and web, event production, design studios, software and platforms, and wellbeing practitioners.
  - [Print and merch](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/print-and-merch/): 18 listings
  - [Photo, video and web](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/photo-video-and-web/): 24 listings
  - [Production, film and events](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/production-film-and-events/): 36 listings
  - [Design agencies](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/design-agencies/): 72 listings
  - [Software and platforms](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/software-and-platforms/): 2 listings
  - [Wellbeing and spiritual practice](https://thebristolcreative.co/services/wellbeing-and-spiritual-practice/): 8 listings
- [Creatives](https://thebristolcreative.co/creatives/): 95 listings. Individual artists, muralists, photographers, filmmakers, DJs, designers and hair and makeup artists you can hire. People are listed only when they ask to be.
- [Circular economy](https://thebristolcreative.co/circular-economy/): 69 listings. Zero-waste shops, repair and reuse, community gardens and farms, food projects, co-ops, community land trusts and mutual aid.
- [Organisations](https://thebristolcreative.co/organisations/): 58 listings. Networks, community radio and media, youth and education organisations, community arts bodies and support organisations.
- [Festivals](https://thebristolcreative.co/festivals/): 23 listings. Bristol's festivals by time of year. Dates change, so check each festival's own site.

## Collections
- [Free and low-cost](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/free-and-low-cost/): Free studios, free sessions and events, community fridges, clothes swaps and repair.
- [Queer-led and inclusive](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/queer-led-and-inclusive/): Queer-led nights, women and non-binary collectives, and spaces built around care.
- [Spaces to hire](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/spaces-to-hire/): Venues, pubs and studios that list hire prices or rates.
- [Community-run](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/community-run/): Co-ops, charities, CICs and volunteer-run projects.
- [Comedy](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/comedy/): Comedy clubs, promoters, improv, magic and comedy festivals.
- [Start a band or a label](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/start-a-band-or-label/): Rehearsal and recording studios, mastering (finishing tracks for release), labels and printers for your merch.
- [Put on a night](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/put-on-a-night/): Small venues, pubs and bars, sound kit for hire, promoters (people who run nights) and printers for the flyers.
- [Open mics and open decks](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/open-mics/): Pubs, bars and venues running open mic and open decks (DJ slots open to all) nights. Days come from each listing and can change, so check with the venue before you go.
- [Pubs with live music](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/live-music-pubs/): Bristol pubs and bars that put on bands, sessions and open mics. Independent and community-run places first.
- [Play your first gig](https://thebristolcreative.co/collections/play-your-first-gig/): Where new bands, singers and DJs can get a first slot. Try open mics, open decks (DJ slots open to all) and promoters who book new acts.

## Areas
- [Central](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/central/): City Centre, Old City, Broadmead, Harbourside and Redcliffe
- [Stokes Croft and St Pauls](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/stokes-croft-st-pauls/): Stokes Croft, St Pauls, St Jude's, Kingsdown and Montpelier
- [Old Market and St Philips](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/old-market-st-philips/): Old Market, St Philips and around Temple Meads
- [East](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/east/): Easton, Barton Hill, Redfield, St Werburghs, Fishponds and beyond
- [South](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/south/): Bedminster, Southville, Totterdown, Brislington, Knowle and beyond
- [North](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/north/): Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Cotham, Horfield, Lockleaze and beyond
- [Clifton and Hotwells](https://thebristolcreative.co/area/west/): Clifton, Hotwells and the Harbourside west end

## Pages
- [How to use the directory](https://thebristolcreative.co/how-to-use/): How to search, filter, save and share listings on the Bristol Creative Directory, and what the labels mean.
- [Why Bristol: the city's creative legends and restless history](https://thebristolcreative.co/bristol/): Bristol has a long history of music, street art, film, theatre, writing, science and protest. Meet the people behind it, and see why new scenes keep starting.
- [Culture is infrastructure](https://thebristolcreative.co/culture/): Culture adds about £38.2bn a year to the UK economy, but it isn't counted as infrastructure. The Bristol Creative Directory maps Bristol's culture.
- [Industry insights: reports on music, nightlife and culture](https://thebristolcreative.co/industry-insights/): Read plain English summaries of recent reports on music venues, the UK music industry, Black and South Asian music, nightlife and culture.
- [Our story: from 395 Studios to Club395 and what's next](https://thebristolcreative.co/our-story/): The Bristol Creative Co grew out of Club395, a DIY venue in St Jude's run by Ray and Kwazi. Here's why it closed in February 2026, and what's next.
- [Join the Bristol Creative Co WhatsApp community](https://thebristolcreative.co/join/): Join 1,500+ Bristol creatives from every industry on WhatsApp. Members share work, gigs and chances in spaces for each discipline, and it's free.
- [Work with us: funding, sponsorship and partnerships](https://thebristolcreative.co/work-with-us/): Ray made and paid for the Bristol Creative Directory for The Bristol Creative Co. We're looking for funding, sponsors and partners of every kind.
- [Get listed, update or remove a listing](https://thebristolcreative.co/get-listed/): Add a Bristol venue, crew, studio, collective, maker or project to the Bristol Creative Directory for free, or ask us to fix or remove a listing.
- [Support the directory](https://thebristolcreative.co/support/): Keep the Bristol Creative Directory free: chip in on Ko-fi, feature your listing or add offers, or partner with The Bristol Creative Co. Prices inside.
- [Get featured or add offers](https://thebristolcreative.co/get-featured/): Put your listing at the top of its section or add up to three offers under it. Monthly, through Ko-fi, always labelled. Grassroots rates from £10.
- [Report a listing or member](https://thebristolcreative.co/report/): Report a concern about a listing or a WhatsApp community member, anonymously. Every field is optional.
- [Corrections and feedback](https://thebristolcreative.co/feedback/): Tell us about incorrect details in a listing, or send feedback on the Bristol Creative Directory website.
- [Paid listings: the terms](https://thebristolcreative.co/paid-listings/): How featured listings and offers work on the Bristol Creative Directory: what you get, labelling, cancelling, and what happens after a safety report.
- [Colophon: how this site is made](https://thebristolcreative.co/colophon/): How the Bristol Creative Directory is made: typefaces, colour-blind friendly palette, data sources and privacy.
- [Privacy and removals](https://thebristolcreative.co/privacy/): Find out who looks after your data on the Bristol Creative Directory, what we collect and why, who else handles it, how long we keep it and your rights.

## Data
- [Full directory as JSON](https://thebristolcreative.co/data/directory.json)
- [Full directory as plain text](https://thebristolcreative.co/llms-full.txt)

## Contact
- ray@thebristolcreative.co
- https://www.instagram.com/thebristolcreativeco