Our mission is to promote appreciation of and participation in the performing arts to build, educate and inspire our vibrant, creative community. We envision an inclusive and connected community in which we spark joy and change lives by creating a “brave space” for the pursuit of equitable, creative, and educational experiences. At BPA, we value imagination, diversity, accessibility, transparency, inclusion, sincerity, respect, equity, equality, joy, responsibility, and leadership in the course of our creative exploration of the performing arts. We believe unequivocally that Black lives matter.

What began in 1956 as the only community organization to combine theatre, dance and music on Bainbridge Island thrives still today. A handful of volunteers with deep visionary roots, an eagerness for hard work, a readiness to perform anywhere, and financial allegiance planted a seed that flourished. Now, seamlessly woven into the fabric of Island life, BPA has emerged as the quintessential heart of Bainbridge Island 's artistic community, a gathering place for the energy, talent, and spirit of artists, writers, directors, musicians, dancers, students, volunteers, and impassioned audience members. Patrons from Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County, the Olympic Peninsula, Seattle, and beyond enjoy events at BPA.

BPA originally was named “Bainbridge Light Opera”. The first musical production in 1956 was a hit and theatre on Bainbridge has never left. For 37 years, Bainbridge Performing Arts performed wherever they could - Timber Lodge, Commodore Middle School, North Kitsap auditorium, Bangor, a Circus tent on High School Road, and even a converted grocery store. “The Playhouse” was originally built in 1993 through a $1.2 million fundraising campaign, and remodeled in 2023 after being closed for almost four years due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The facility boasts a 219-seat theater with professional sound and light.