Creativity, Culture & Capital

Creativity, Culture & Capital is a collaborative project between Arts & Culture Finance (UK), Upstart Co-Lab (US) and Fundación Compromiso (Argentina), three women-led non-profit organisations, all working at the intersection of impact investment and the creative economy.

This project brings together international stakeholders who believe that art, design, culture, heritage and creativity can benefit people, communities, society and the planet – and that impact capital will be a vital tool to support the positive growth and development of the global creative economy. As a living resource and community platform, Creativity, Culture & Capital illustrates that the creative sector already delivers social impact and proves that impact investment supports a more just and sustainable global creative economy.

The definition of creative economy is typically tied to efforts to measure economic activity in a specific geography. A relevant set of art, culture, design and innovation industries are determined, and the economic contribution of those industries is assessed within a region. A unique set of industries defines each local creative economy, reflecting the culture, traditions and heritage of that place.

For the purposes of this collaborative project we have defined the creative economy by identifying a set of 145 industries engaged in the inputs, production and distribution of creative products and grouped these industries into five pillars of the creative economy: Ethical fashion, Sustainable food, Social impact media, Other creative industries and Creative places. Read more about these definitions and the creative economy.

Impact investing is investing with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. It is an investment approach, applicable to all asset classes, that counters the traditional separation of environmental, social and governance risk factors from investment decisions that are focused on financial returns alone. Impact investors consider how their investments align with their social and/or environmental goals and values, as well as their financial return objectives.

For the purposes of this collaborative project, impact investing is the umbrella term that includes concepts such as sustainable investing, ESG (investing in companies operating with best environmental, social and governance practices) and SRI (socially responsible investing, or sustainable, responsible and impact investing). Read more about these definitions and the creative economy.

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Creative disruption: Putting value at the heart of a new paradigm

Rosemary Addis
Founding Managing Partner, Mondiale Impact; Executive Director, Impact Strategist

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Elizabeth Galbut & Pocket Sun
Co-Founders & Managing Partners, SoGal Ventures
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A new way of funding our creative economy

Sir Ronald Cohen
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Fuelling the creative economy through creative collaboration

Darren Walker
President, Ford Foundation
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Culture connects us

Yo-Yo Ma
Cellist
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The Parthenon of Forbidden Books

Marta Minujín
Artist

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