Bindlestiff Studio
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersSouth San Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Bindlestiff Studio firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Bindlestiff Studio industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Bindlestiff Studio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Bindlestiff Studio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for performances, workshops, and special events including mainstage productions like TAGALOG and Stories High.
- 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.
- Facility Rentals: The theater space at 185 6th Street is available for rentals to other organizations and community groups.
- Fundraising Events: Annual gala/fundraiser events such as the 30th Anniversary 'Welcome Home' celebration, featuring performances, food, and donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Stories High - Student/Senior General Support |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Tagalog Festival Mainstage Production |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 30th Anniversary Gala |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Online Workshops (COVID-19 period) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Bindlestiff Studio product offering
Product offeringCore 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.
Companies that use Bindlestiff Studio
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Bindlestiff Studio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Bindlestiff Studio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- SOMA Pilipinas Cultural DistrictcoreBindlestiff 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)coreCo-presentation partner for performances and festivals including USAAF (United States of Asian American Festival)
- Kearny Street WorkshopcoreLong-standing partner in Filipino American arts; co-created body-positive fashion show 'Celebrate Your Body'; podcast collaboration
- KulArtscorePartner in Filipino arts programming and community events
- Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF)majorCollaboration in the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District; community development initiatives
- Cultural Center of the PhilippinesmajorSource of playwrights for TAGALOG series through the Virgin Labfest program
- PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association)majorHistorical connection to Philippine theater traditions that influenced Bindlestiff's ethos and culture
- Teatro ng TananmajorTheater for Everyone - influential Philippine theater troupe whose members laid foundation for Bindlestiff's current ethos
- Bayanihan Equity CentercoreSOMA community partner for COVID-19 relief matching donations; weekly food bank for seniors and families
- WestBaycoreSOMA community partner for COVID-19 relief; food/supplies deliveries and weekly food bank
- United PlayazcoreSOMA community partner; collaborated on COVID-19 relief supply distribution
- Kultivate LabscoreFilipinos Feed The Frontlines initiative; support for local restaurants to feed families in SOMA
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bindlestiff Studio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Bindlestiff Studio social profiles
Digital presenceBindlestiff Studio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bindlestiff Studio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Bindlestiff Studio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bindlestiff Studio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bindlestiff Studio
What does Bindlestiff Studio do?
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.
Is Bindlestiff Studio a public or private company?
Bindlestiff Studio is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Bindlestiff Studio founded?
Bindlestiff Studio was founded in 1989. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bindlestiff Studio based?
Bindlestiff Studio is headquartered in South San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bindlestiff Studio make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants, facility Rentals and fundraising Events.
Who are Bindlestiff Studio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kearny Street Workshop, Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC), National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO), Ma-Yi Theater Company, East West Players, Asian American Theater Company, KulArts and Teatro Campesino. Crowded Fire Theater is listed as a regional player. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Bindlestiff Studio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bindlestiff Studio.
What industry is Bindlestiff Studio in?
Bindlestiff Studio's product category is Community Performing Arts Theater. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAM, Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking), with a secondary code of EDAMAMAD, Playwriting & Scriptwriting Workshops (Stage). Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7900.