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NAICS 711510 · Arts & Recreation
SBA loans for independent artists, writers, and performers
1,634 SBA loans worth $395.2M have been approved in this industry since FY2010 - the #138 most-financed NAICS code in the country.
Median loan
$50,000
-72% vs all industries
Typical range
$10K-$680K
Middle 80%
Median rate
8.50%
7(a) initial note rate
Median term
10 yr
Charge-off rate
9.4%
vs 7.6% all industries
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA data, as of 2026-06-30. Approvals from FY2010 onward. How we calculate this.
Lenders
Most active in this industry
| Lender | Loans | Approved | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank | 233 | $31.3M | |
| U.S. Bank | 113 | $26.5M | |
| CDC Small Business Finance Corp. | 25 | $18.5M | |
| Business Finance Capital | 13 | $15.8M | |
| Mortgage Capital Development Corporation | 21 | $15.4M | |
| California Statewide Certified Development Corporation | 18 | $14.1M | |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank | 134 | $11.5M | |
| BMO Bank | 7 | $11.4M | |
| Empire State Certified Development Corporation | 14 | $10.4M | |
| Harvest Small Business Finance, LLC | 8 | $9.3M |
Geography
Where these loans were made
| State | Loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| California | 435 | |
| New York | 158 | |
| Texas | 91 | |
| Florida | 90 | |
| Ohio | 56 | |
| Colorado | 55 | |
| Georgia | 47 | |
| New Jersey | 47 |
An SBA 7(a) lender for loans this size
83% of the SBA loans approved in independent artists, writers, and performers since FY2010 were under $350,000. SmartBiz makes SBA 7(a) loans up to $500,000. It is shown here as a separate, labelled option, outside the data rankings on this page. You apply on their site - we do not take applications and never see your information.
Check options with SmartBizWe may be paid if you apply through this link. It does not change what we publish, and no lender can buy a place in our rankings. Details.
Approvals by fiscal year
Loan count. Final bar is a partial fiscal year.
Loan sizes
- Under $50K45%
- $50K - $150K21%
- $150K - $350K16%
- $350K - $1M11%
- $1M - $2M4%
- Over $2M2%
Franchise brands in Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
| Franchise brand | Loans | Approved | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinot's Palette | 5 | $803K | |
| Board & Brush Creative Studios | 3 | $175K | |
| Hawaii Fluid Art | 2 | $201K | |
| Arthur Murray Dance Studios | 1 | $517K | |
| Painting With A Twist | 1 | $124K |
Brands with the most SBA loans recorded under this NAICS code, among brands with at least 10 loans in the file.
Nearby
Other arts & recreation industries
Common questions
- How much do SBA lenders typically lend to a independent artists, writers, and performers business?
- The median SBA approval in NAICS 711510 is $50,000, with the middle 80% of loans between $10,000 and $680,000. Across all industries the median is $180,000.
- Which lenders are most active in independent artists, writers, and performers?
- By dollars approved: Wells Fargo Bank, U.S. Bank, CDC Small Business Finance Corp., Business Finance Capital, Mortgage Capital Development Corporation. A lender's experience in your NAICS code matters - underwriters who have seen a hundred deals like yours ask better questions and move faster.
- Is independent artists, writers, and performers considered a risky industry by SBA lenders?
- Of FY2010-FY2019 approvals in this industry that have reached a terminal status, 9.4% were charged off, versus 7.6% across all SBA lending. That is close to average.
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