Home / Our story
Our story: from 395 Studios to Club395 and what's next
In short: we ran a venue for three years. We lost it in February 2026. Now we're raising money to open a new one. This directory helps us keep going.
395 Studios
Ray moved from Dhaka to Bristol in 2020 to study at UWE. Graduation night was in July 2023. Ray's mum had been refused a visa to come over, so Ray skipped the ceremony. Ray went to 395 Studios instead. It was a film and arts space in St Jude's. The people running it were about to hand the keys back to the landlord. Ray had an hour to decide whether to take it on, and said yes.
Club395
Ray and Kwazi, a Bristol rapper, rebuilt it. They put in sound, lighting and soundproofing. By day it was a café and workspace. By night it was a club for 200 people. In 2025 it joined with Art Club MRKT and became Club395.
Over three years it put on 200+ events. There were open decks (DJ slots open to all), 395 Alive, cyphers and a free weekly Creative Open House. There were Bengali-fusion nights, techno, garage, drum and bass and hardcore. It was queer-centred. It was built for South Asian and global majority (Black, Asian and other people of colour) artists as much as anyone else. Music Venue Trust recognised it as a grassroots (small and independent) music venue. Artists who came through include Soulbee, Ssadcharlie, Sambee, Dameer and Marns. Nadi played there before her debut on Glastonbury's Silver Hayes stage.
What closed it
It cost more to run than it could earn. Licensing conditions and noise rules meant it needed heavy soundproofing. Loans paid for that. The later opening hours that would have paid the loans back never came.
In January 2026, Arts Council England refused to endorse Ray's Global Talent visa. It said there were too few "professional bookings". Bristol's music community pushed back hard. The appeal was won in February, with a five-year visa. By then Ray had already handed the keys back. The landlord's new terms made it impossible to take it on again. Rent went up 42% to £3,500, with a £7,000 deposit. Club395 closed on 28 February 2026.
What's next
We're looking for a new space in Bristol or London. We'll run a community fundraiser to open it. If you've got an empty unit, a venue with quiet nights, or money to put in, talk to us. We'd also borrow an empty building until it's redeveloped (called meanwhile use).
The Bristol Creative Co keeps growing through the WhatsApp community. This directory is a proof of concept (a first try to show it works). Ray made it and paid for it. The aim is to find partners to keep it free and up to date.
The people
Ray
Ridwanul Kabir Shakib, also known as 395/RAY. Ray was born in Chittagong, Bangladesh, and grew up in Dhaka. There, Ray directed music videos for the band Jalali Set and started the fashion label Blu&Maron. Ray moved to Bristol in 2020 to study at UWE.
- Cultural strategist and producer. Founder of The Bristol Creative Co, and keeper of this directory.
- Co-founded and ran Club395, and booked its 200+ events.
- Runs BLU MARON, a label for Bangladeshi culture across fashion, music and art.
- Runs SUBJECTTOSOUND, the label and DJ team behind the OFFLINE STATE open-decks night at After Dark. It works to get more FLINTA (women, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender) artists on stages in the UK and worldwide. It does the same for people of colour, immigrants and Bangladeshi talent.
- Researches all types of AI and their risks. Also looks for ways to use AI for good without harming people or the planet, especially for people with disadvantages and disabilities.
- Holds a Global Talent visa for exceptional promise in arts and culture.
Kwazi
Bristol rapper and co-founder of Club395. Kwazi is now building BeVibes TV, a platform for new artists, with partner Team Love. @kwazi0117
The community
Everyone who played, ran a workshop, fixed the sound, swept up or brought a friend.
In the press
Club395 and Ray
- Resident Advisor, February 2026 Club395 cofounder Ray Kabir: 'Grassroots culture isn't a side project'
- DJ Mag, March 2026 Bristol's Club395 co-founder vows to continue championing grassroots arts and music after venue closure
- Bristol24/7, February 2026 Venue founder says visa denied due to 'fundamental misunderstanding'
- The Tab, February 2026 'Grassroots means small': Club395 founder's visa rejection puts grassroots venue at risk
- CONDUCT, February 2026 Club 395 Bristol: The Grassroots Venue at Risk of Closure