Setting the Stage, by Figurative, is a comprehensive roadmap for establishing primarily debt focused impact investment funds and initiatives in the cultural and creative sectors.

Creating effective impact investment initiatives in the cultural and creative sectors (CCS) requires both financial expertise and a deep understanding of how creative organisations truly work. Setting the Stage provides a comprehensive roadmap for establishing primarily debt focused impact investment funds and initiatives in the CCS.

Drawing on Figurative’s substantial experience in the UK, and incorporating insights from recent Canadian explorations facilitated by the Metcalf Foundation, Setting the Stage is designed primarily for funders, policymakers, and cultural sector leaders ready to pioneer impact investment initiatives in their regions – wherever you are in the world.

The guide builds on the Impact Investment in the Cultural and Creative Sectors report from 2023, co-authored by Metcalf Fellow David Maggs, and commissioned by the UK’s Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, which made the case for expanding this form of capital globally.

Figurative is an independent nonprofit in the UK dedicated to impact, investment and innovation in the cultural and creative sectors.