Bindlestiff Studio

What Bindlestiff Studio does

Bindlestiff Studio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1989 in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District (185 6th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103). It self-identifies as the only dedicated Filipino American performing arts theater in the United States. The organization cultivates and showcases Pilipino and Filipino American artists through a portfolio of programs including mainstage productions (the flagship Tagalog Festival featuring Tagalog-language plays with live English translation sourced from the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Virgin Labfest), the long-running Stories High page-to-stage workshop series, stand-up comedy programming (BindleLaugh Jam), improv showcases (The Love Edition), audio drama (Radio Basa), family programming (Pickles!), and the Restorative Theater Arts for Seniors (ReTAS) program. It also serves youth ages 6–19 through theater, puppetry, and acting workshops, and operates an Artist-in-Residence program.

The organization is led by Artistic Director Aureen Almario and Managing Director Oliver Saria, with technical direction by Dave Ragaza and governance by a board of directors (including Jepoy Ramos). Bindlestiff generates revenue through four streams: ticket sales for performances and workshops (typically $10–$30 per ticket with student/senior and pay-what-you-can options), donations and institutional grants, theater space rentals, and annual fundraising events such as the 30th Anniversary 'Welcome Home' gala. Go-to-market is community-led: a weekly BindleBlast email newsletter, Facebook/Instagram organic social, word-of-mouth within the Bay Area Filipino American community, and co-presentation partnerships with peer organizations (APICC, Kearny Street Workshop, KulArts, FADF). Technology infrastructure is minimal — Squarespace for the website, Flipcause for ticketing — consistent with a small community arts nonprofit. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and is privately funded through grants, donations, and earned revenue.

Name

Bindlestiff Studio

Legal name

Bindlestiff Studio

Website

https://bindlestiffstudio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bindlestiff Studio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Filipino American performing arts theater in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District, founded in 1989 and operating as the only dedicated venue of its kind in the United States, offering mainstage productions, workshops, youth and senior programs, and community events for the Bay Area Filipino American community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Performing Arts Theater

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Playwriting & Scriptwriting Workshops (Stage) (EDAMAMAD)

Keywords

• Performing arts productions
• Community arts education
• Youth theater workshops
• Theater venue rental
• Filipino american arts

Headquarters

HQ city

South San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for performances, workshops, and special events including mainstage productions like TAGALOG and Stories High.
2. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, Bindlestiff relies heavily on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants including California Arts Council, Theatre Communication Group, Gerbode Foundation, and SF Arts Commission.
3. Facility Rentals: The theater space at 185 6th Street is available for rentals to other organizations and community groups.
4. Fundraising Events: Annual gala/fundraiser events such as the 30th Anniversary 'Welcome Home' celebration, featuring performances, food, and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bindlestiff Studio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization that operates a Filipino American theater at 185 6th Street in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District, producing mainstage theatrical productions such as the Tagalog Festival and Stories High, running workshops in acting, playwriting, puppetry, and stand-up comedy, and delivering youth and senior arts education programs. Revenue is generated through ticket sales, donations, foundation and government grants, theater space rentals, and fundraising events such as the 30th Anniversary 'Welcome Home' Gala.

Product overview

Bindlestiff Studio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization serving as the epicenter of Filipino American performing arts. The company operates as a multi-venue theater with a portfolio of programs including mainstage productions (Tagalog Festival, Stories High workshop series), comedy programming (The Love Edition, BindleLaugh Jam), youth and senior arts education (Restorative Theater Arts for Seniors Program, Youth Theater Programs, puppetry workshops), audio/radio productions (Radio Basa), and community engagement initiatives. The theater also generates revenue through venue rentals and operates a community newsletter. The organization was founded in 1989 and is located in San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tagalog: A collection of one-act plays written and performed in Tagalog with live English translation, featuring works from the Virgin Labfest of the Cultural Center of the Philippines
• Stories High
• BindleLaugh Jam
• Queer as Fuck
• Granny Cart Gangstas

Products and services

• Tagalog Festival Mainstage production featuring one-act plays written and performed entirely in Tagalog with live English translation, sourced from the Virgin Labfest of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The Tagalog Festival is one of Bindlestiff Studio's flagship annual theater programs showcasing Philippine theater works to Bay Area audiences.
• Stories High Workshop Series Longest-running page-to-stage workshop series that incubates new playwrights through writing, acting, and directing workshops, culminating in annual staged productions. Participants develop original plays over several months with professional support and the program is open to community members.
• BindleLaugh Jam Stand-up comedy showcase and open-mic event series featuring Filipino American comedians, hosted by Kevin Camia, presented at the Bindlestiff stage.
• Restorative Theater Arts for Seniors (ReTAS) Program Community arts program serving seniors in the SOMA Pilipinas neighborhood, providing theatrical engagement and creative activities for elderly community members to address social isolation through culturally relevant programming.
• Youth Theater Programs Youth-focused theater arts programming including puppetry, acting, and directing workshops for children and teens ages 6-19, often funded through DCYF and California Arts Council grants and offered with pay-what-you-can or scholarship options.
• Radio Basa Radio play and audio drama production initiative producing original audio theater content, including series such as 'Queerantine Extravaganza,' 'Forbidden Future(s),' and 'Granny Cart Gangsta Hoevid 19.'
• Artist-in-Residence Program Residency program hosting Filipino American artists for extended creative development periods, with past residents including Ramon Abad (puppetry) and Sami See (multimedia/muralist).
• Bindlestiff Theater Space Rentals Performance venue rental program offering the 185 6th Street theater to community groups, artists, and partner organizations for productions and events.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• SOMA Pilipinas Cultural DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBindlestiff Studio is a key anchor institution within the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District, participating in neighborhood funding decisions and community programming
• Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presentation partner for performances and festivals including USAAF (United States of Asian American Festival)
• Kearny Street WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner in Filipino American arts; co-created body-positive fashion show 'Celebrate Your Body'; podcast collaboration
• KulArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Filipino arts programming and community events
• Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District; community development initiatives
• Cultural Center of the PhilippinesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource of playwrights for TAGALOG series through the Virgin Labfest program
• PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical connection to Philippine theater traditions that influenced Bindlestiff's ethos and culture
• Teatro ng TananmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater for Everyone - influential Philippine theater troupe whose members laid foundation for Bindlestiff's current ethos
• Bayanihan Equity CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOMA community partner for COVID-19 relief matching donations; weekly food bank for seniors and families
• WestBaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOMA community partner for COVID-19 relief; food/supplies deliveries and weekly food bank
• United PlayazcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOMA community partner; collaborated on COVID-19 relief supply distribution
• Kultivate LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilipinos Feed The Frontlines initiative; support for local restaurants to feed families in SOMA

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kearny Street Workshop: SF-based Asian American multidisciplinary arts organization producing visual, literary, and performing arts programming. Direct peer and named partner of Bindlestiff, with overlapping community and audience base in the Bay Area API arts scene.
• Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC): SF-based nonprofit producing the United States of Asian America Festival and API cultural programming. Comparable as an API arts presenter with similar audience demographics and named co-presentation partner of Bindlestiff.
• National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO): NYC-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting the work of Asian American theater artists through productions and workshops. Direct peer as an Asian American-focused theater company with community programming and artist development initiatives.
• Ma-Yi Theater Company: NYC-based nonprofit theater company producing new works by Asian American artists, with a historical focus on Filipino American playwrights. Directly comparable as an Asian American theater producing original and culturally-specific work for community audiences.
• East West Players: Founded in 1965 in Los Angeles, East West Players is the nation's premier Asian American theater producing plays, musicals, and workshops. It is the closest direct peer to Bindlestiff as an Asian American performing arts organization, though larger in scale and based in LA.
• Asian American Theater Company: SF-based Asian American theater company producing original works and community programming. A direct regional peer in the same geographic market with overlapping Asian American artistic mission and similar scale of operations.
• KulArts: SF-based Filipino American performing arts organization presenting contemporary and traditional Pilipino cultural work. The most direct peer given the shared Filipino American cultural mission, geographic market, and existing partnership relationship with Bindlestiff.
• Teatro Campesino: Founded in 1965 in San Juan Bautista, California, Teatro Campesino is a Chicano theater company focused on producing culturally-specific works for the Mexican American community. Comparable to Bindlestiff as a culturally-anchored community theater with activist roots and educational programming.

Regional players

• Crowded Fire Theater: SF-based small theater company producing contemporary works in intimate settings. Comparable as a similarly-sized Bay Area nonprofit theater producing original programming for a defined audience community.

Broad incumbents

• TheatreWorks Silicon Valley: Major regional theater in the SF Bay Area producing new works and musicals. Comparable as a Bay Area theater organization but operates at significantly larger scale with broader programming focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BindlestiffStudio
• Instagraminstagram.com/bindlestiff_sf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bindlestiff-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bindlestiff Studio