Please help BAT build a 200 to 300-seat performing and visual arts space.
To volunteer to help make this venue a reality, EMAIL US at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To be added to our newsletter about the venue, EMAIL US at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
BAT hired the award-winning and internationally recognized LMN Architects to design Burien's performing and visual arts center in Burien. (To name just two projects, LMN Architects designed McCaw Hall in Seattle and the Vashon Center for the Arts.)
BAT is working with CCS Fundraising to develop a fundraising plan to cover the cost of this amazing, game-changing venue for Burien and South King County. It is not too soon for you to make this project a reality. DONATE HERE.
CCS Fundraising BAT's fundraising consultants are completing the interview process and beginning the focus group phase to help develop the message for BAT's fundraising drive. If you want to be on that list, please contact BAT at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The arts are a powerful force for good in our communities. By bringing people together, providing a safe space for expression, promoting diversity and inclusion, and educating and entertaining audiences, performing and visual arts help build stronger, more vibrant communities.
Deep Roots
We have been producing community-based theater in what is now Burien since 1955. As Burien Little Theatre and now Burien Actors Theatre, we bring to life modern works and classics with a unique twist that embrace our shared humanity and enrich our cultural landscape.
Theater for All
We engage the community in 4-5 shows with multiple performances each year. As one of very few performing arts organizations in South King County, let alone in Burien, we take our position as a community leader seriously. It is important to us to eliminate barriers to entry, including a focus on ADA accessibility and keeping ticket costs affordable. We also strive to take an environmentally-friendly approach with every show, to reduce our carbon footprint and use fewer resources for sustainability.
Meeting the Moment
BAT’s home of 40 years was demolished in 2020 by our landlord. A scrappy, resourceful combination of virtual performances and in-person shows across South King County’s parks, as well as via a time-limited partnership with Kennedy Catholic High School, has brought us to the current moment. We now have the opportunity to establish the future of arts and culture in Burien, and relocate our beloved BAT Theatre to an ideal location downtown while addressing the housing crisis.
King County will be accepting proposals later this year for a site south of the Burien Transit Center that is:
• Central to Burien, which will activate downtown
• IntheoriginalplansforBurienTownSquare
• WithintheBurienCreativeDistrict
• Accessible via transit and parking
More Than One New Home
This site will give us the ability to create and strengthen relationships with the community, both in and out of the performance spaces. Our vision for this project is in partnership with HomeSight, a nonprofit that develops homes for low- and middle-income families.
The plans we have created together with internationally-recognized LMN Architects feature a new arts venue in Burien and a home for BAT Theatre on the first and second floors, with much-needed affordable housing – opportunities to build intergenerational wealth through homeownership – developed by HomeSight on the subsequent floors.
Bigger Than BAT
Plans feature a multipurpose event space that includes a 300-seat theater and other smaller performance and event spaces plus a visual arts gallery and coffee shop. The venue will be accessible to local performers, artists, and nonprofits, as well as regional and national acts, with BAT as the anchor organization. Many organizations and individuals have already endorsed and expressed interest in using the space, ChoralSounds Northwest and the Burien Film Festival among them. Exhibitions, concerts, films, workshops, classes, dance recitals – these are just some of the possible uses for the venue.
Creating a Destination
Bringing performing and visual arts downtown with BAT at its center will generate both qualitative – energy, excitement, invigoration! – and quantitative benefits. Early conservative numbers indicate that a 300-seat performing arts space, at 80% capacity, 25 weekends a year, plus events during the week, would draw more than 25,000 visitors and add at least $1.3 million annually to the Burien economy on top of venue revenue.
A “Catalytic Project”
The City of Burien has identified a performing arts and event space as a top priority in the 2024 Economic Plan, and as a cornerstone of downtown development. Public opinion has informed these plans, with overwhelming support for a performance/event venue demonstrated at a recent open house.
Leading the Charge
The estimated total to make this vision a reality for Burien/ South King County and BAT Theatre is $45 million. BAT is spearheading this initiative with a Feasibility and Planning Study with CCS, a fundraising solutions firm, to determine the best path forward.
Here are some community benefits:
Cultural Enrichment: A performing arts venue will offer residents opportunities to experience a wide range of cultural performances, including plays, musicals, concerts, dance recitals, and more. This exposure enriches the community's cultural fabric and promotes diversity and inclusion.
The art gallery provides a space for the community to engage with various art forms, including paintings, sculptures, photography, and multimedia installations. Exposure to art broadens perspectives, stimulates creativity, and fosters appreciation for cultural diversity.
Support for Local Artists: The theater and gallery will often feature works by local artists, allowing them to showcase their talent and gain recognition within the community. This encourages artistic expression and contributes to the growth of the local arts scene.
Arts Education: Such a venue will be a hub for arts education programs, workshops, and classes. It provides a space for aspiring artists of all ages to learn and develop their skills in various artistic disciplines. Such a venue will provide educational resources for people of all ages, including students, educators, and lifelong learners. Through workshops and educational programs, they offer opportunities for art appreciation, art history education, and hands-on artistic expression
Cultural Events and Programming: Theater spaces and art galleries host exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, and other cultural events. These activities bring people together, encourage dialogue, and promote lifelong learning. They also serve as opportunities for networking and collaboration among artists and art enthusiasts
Economic Impact: The performing arts venue and gallery will attract visitors from within and outside the community, increasing foot traffic and spending in local businesses such as restaurants, hotels, and shops. Arts tourists stimulate economic growth and contribute to the area's vitality. As of 2023, the average art tourist spent $37.50 in the community where the venue is located, excluding what is spent at the venue.
Reduction in Crime: Performing arts venues are shown to reduce crime throughout the area by as much as 18%.
Job Creation: Operating a performing arts venue and a gallery requires staff members such as performers, technicians, administrators, ushers, and maintenance personnel. Building and operating a venue creates job opportunities for residents, thus boosting employment rates.
Community Gathering Space: The venue will serve as a gathering space for community events, meetings, and celebrations. It provides a central location for residents to come together, fostering a sense of community cohesion and social interaction.
Community Engagement: The venue will Art serve as a hub for community engagement, providing spaces for people to gather, interact, and exchange ideas. It will facilitate partnerships with schools, community organizations, and local government agencies to promote arts education, cultural awareness, and civic engagement.
Quality of Life: Access to cultural and artistic experiences enhances residents' overall quality of life. It provides leisure, entertainment, and personal enrichment opportunities, contributing to overall well-being and happiness.
Tourism and Cultural Exchange: A well-equipped performing arts venue like this one may host regional and national touring productions, guest performers, and cultural exchange programs. These big-name acts expose local audiences to diverse performances and put the community on the map as a cultural destination. This attracts tourists and visitors from afar and enhances the need for one or more hotels.
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Youth Engagement and Development: Such a venue will offer youth programs, providing opportunities for young people to engage with the arts, develop their talents, and gain confidence and skills to benefit them in various aspects of their lives.
Preservation of Heritage: Performing arts venues like this one help preserve and celebrate a community's cultural heritage through performances, exhibitions, and events that showcase traditional art forms and storytelling. Galleries feature works that reflect the community's cultural heritage and identity. By preserving and showcasing these artworks, galleries celebrate local history, traditions, and narratives.
Promotion of Creativity and Innovation: Exposure to art stimulates creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. By providing a space for artists to experiment and innovate, performing spaces and galleries contribute to the community's cultural vitality and creative economy.
The space will be operated to have as much diverse use as possible, from countless small events in the smaller rooms and the art gallery to as varied performing art as can be scheduled in the larger space, plus classes. In our view, dark space is a wasted space, and BAT does not want to be the one producing all of the visual and performing art going on. We want to share the space and offer affordable rent.
Building a 200/300-seat performing arts venue with a 1000-square-foot gallery will have far-reaching benefits for the community now and for generations to come. It will enrich the community's cultural life, stimulate economic growth, and enhance its residents' overall well-being.
