12.11.2026
With its Creative Loan for businesses in the creative and cultural sector, LHV is the first bank in Estonia to improve the availability of loan money for creative businesses, because thanks to the guarantee of the European Investment Fund, it requires less additional collateral, and repayments can be adapted to the company’s cash flows and the specifics of the project.
According to Marko Kiisa, Head of SME Financing at LHV, the creative sector – which is of significant economic importance – has long been waiting for modern financing options. “With this new Creative Loan, we want to show that this sector is very often a business just like any other. While so far the professionals of this field have had to accept more expensive business loans that do not meet their needs, LHV’s Creative Loan specifically takes into account the specificities of project-based revenue collection,” he said.
According to Kiisa, raising capital in the cultural sector is often more complicated than in more traditional business sectors. “The greatest value in this type of business often lies in people’s skills, ideas and intellectual property, rather than in real estate that a bank usually expects as collateral. At the same time, an entrepreneur may incur costs well before the project generates any revenue, which means that a standard monthly loan repayment schedule may not be suitable for this kind of business model,” explained Marko Kiisa.
Thanks to the guarantee of the European Investment Fund, LHV’s Creative Loan requires less additional collateral than a standard loan, meaning that even creative enterprises without tangible collateral can apply for a loan. “A Creative Loan may be relevant for both start-ups and established businesses that need capital to launch a new project, complete a large order or finance the next stage of development of the business,” emphasised Kiisa.
The repayment schedule for the LHV Creative Loan can be designed based on the nature of the project and cash flows, allowing you to take also a grace period. For example, the revenue of one creative project may be received in a few months, while that of another may only be received over the course of several years.
According to Kiisa, many entrepreneurs in the creative sector do not see themselves as the target group for a traditional business loan, nor are they aware that a bank might even consider their activities suitable for financing. “The creative sector is much broader than it might seem at first glance: in addition to artists and musicians, it includes, for example, game developers, advertising agencies, film and video production companies, design and architecture firms, music and entertainment companies, publishers, bookshops and fashion brands, as well as, for example, creative associations and private museums,” he listed.
In addition, LHV will begin organising business training tailored to the creative sector to foster its commercial success, and Creative Loan borrowers will receive professional business coaching. “When we looked at the challenges and opportunities of the creative sector, we spoke to dozens of talented people: micro-entrepreneurs, representatives of professional associations and organisers of major events. A cross-sectoral concern emerged about the lack of loan collateral, but also a clear need to help people who are successful in their creative field to be better entrepreneurs,” Kiisa said. “It is, after all, clear that a commercially successful cultural entrepreneur will also repay a bank loan correctly, and it is precisely for such entrepreneurs that the LHV Creative Loan is intended.”
An LHV Creative Loan may be applied for by a business, non-profit organisation or foundation operating in the cultural and creative sector, whose eligibility under the terms and conditions of the product is assessed on the basis of their EMTAK code, i.e. their main area of activity.
LHV is the first bank in Estonia to start offering a loan specifically designed for the creative and cultural sector, thereby contributing to the development of this economically important sector.
Find out more about LHV’s Creative Loan
The Creative Loan is provided by LHV Bank AS. Review the terms and conditions at lhv.ee and consult our specialist.
The Creative Loan is backed by a European Investment Fund guarantee, funded by the EU through the InvestEU Fund.
