Industries › Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
NAICS 71Sector3.5% of all approvals
SBA loans for arts, entertainment, and recreation
7(a) and 504 approvals to businesses SBA classifies under NAICS 71, with the lenders and states behind them.
SBA approvals by fiscal year. The federal fiscal year runs 1 October to 30 September, so FY2025 is 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. *FY2026 is open: approvals to 30 Jun 2026 only.
Businesses classified under NAICS 71, arts, entertainment, and recreation, received 11,847 SBA loan approvals worth $6.72bn in FY2021 to FY2025 (10,610 7(a), 1,237 504).
That is 3.5% of all approvals. Set against the 166,356 establishments the Census Bureau counts in the industry, it comes to 71.2 approvals per 1,000 establishments; across all industries the figure is 41.0.
In FY2025 there were 3,367 approvals, up 22% on FY2024. The median 7(a) approval was $232K, against $190K for all industries, and 28.5% of approvals went to franchise businesses.
Of 7(a) loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021 and disbursed, SBA records 8.5% as charged off, above the 6.6% for all industries.
Loan status is as recorded by SBA at the data date; charge-off rates are computed on loans approved at least five fiscal years ago. Jobs supported are self-reported estimates from the SBA loan application, which SBA does not review, audit or validate. Data through 30 Jun 2026.
Volume by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | 7(a) approvals | 7(a) dollars | Median 7(a) | 504 approvals | 504 dollars | All approvals | Jobs supported, as reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026* | 1,857 | $1.08bn | $254K | 191 | $268M | 2,048 | 20,815 |
| FY2025 | 3,079 | $1.46bn | $235K | 288 | $440M | 3,367 | 32,775 |
| FY2024 | 2,536 | $1.15bn | $152K | 222 | $269M | 2,758 | 28,348 |
| FY2023 | 2,117 | $1.03bn | $224K | 219 | $281M | 2,336 | 30,219 |
| FY2022 | 1,513 | $729M | $225K | 303 | $325M | 1,816 | 20,841 |
| FY2021 | 1,365 | $863M | $328K | 205 | $170M | 1,570 | 20,415 |
| FY2020 | 1,358 | $657M | $250K | 175 | $184M | 1,533 | 18,793 |
| FY2019 | 2,099 | $965M | $215K | 199 | $186M | 2,298 | 30,419 |
| FY2018 | 2,121 | $1.02bn | $200K | 173 | $172M | 2,294 | 30,451 |
| FY2017 | 2,150 | $906M | $150K | 191 | $191M | 2,341 | 28,587 |
| FY2016 | 2,045 | $889M | $150K | 208 | $197M | 2,253 | 28,475 |
SBA records the NAICS code in force when a loan was approved. The 2022 NAICS revision renumbered parts of retail trade and information, so some lines of business appear under one code before FY2023 and another after. FY2016–FY2020 approvals under this code: 10,719.
Within this sector
| NAICS | Subsector | Approvals, FY2021–FY2025 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 713 | Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | 9,692 | 81.8% |
| 711 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | 2,114 | 17.8% |
| 712 | Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | 41 | 0.3% |
Lenders most active in this industry
By number of approvals, FY2021–FY2025; 1,059 lenders had at least one.
| # | Lender | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH | 2,073 | $601M | 17.5% | |
| 2 | Newtek Bank, National AssociationMiami, FL | 419 | $175M | 3.5% | |
| 3 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust CompanyBuffalo, NY | 307 | $65.0M | 2.6% | |
| 4 | Northeast BankLewiston, ME | 284 | $31.4M | 2.4% | |
| 5 | Readycap Lending, LLCBerkeley Heights, NJ | 282 | $93.8M | 2.4% | |
| 6 | TD Bank, National AssociationWilmington, DE | 279 | $40.1M | 2.4% | |
| 7 | Wells Fargo Bank National AssociationSioux Falls, SD | 278 | $57.5M | 2.3% | |
| 8 | U.S. Bank, National AssociationCincinnati, OH | 260 | $86.2M | 2.2% | |
| 9 | KeyBank National AssociationCleveland, OH | 224 | $135M | 1.9% | |
| 10 | Citizens BankElizabethton, TN | 177 | $107M | 1.5% | |
| 11 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc.Lake Success, NY | 171 | $96.6M | 1.4% | |
| 12 | BayFirst National BankSaint Petersburg, FL | 169 | $25.8M | 1.4% | |
| 13 | Live Oak Banking CompanyWilmington, NC | 164 | $187M | 1.4% | |
| 14 | First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO | 140 | $93.9M | 1.2% | |
| 15 | Celtic Bank CorporationSalt Lake City, UT | 126 | $105M | 1.1% | |
| 16 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, National AssociationColumbus, OH | 122 | $33.2M | 1.0% | |
| 17 | Zions Bank, A Division ofSalt Lake City, UT | 94 | $32.9M | 0.8% | |
| 18 | Lendistry SBLC, LLCLos Angeles, CA | 79 | $13.9M | 0.7% | |
| 19 | CDC Small Business Finance Corp.San Diego, CA | 74 | $12.2M | 0.6% | |
| 20 | Old National BankEvansville, IN | 72 | $69.5M | 0.6% |
States
| # | State of the business | Approvals | Dollars | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,172 | $668M | 9.9% | |
| 2 | Texas | 1,055 | $719M | 8.9% | |
| 3 | Florida | 831 | $494M | 7.0% | |
| 4 | New York | 680 | $303M | 5.7% | |
| 5 | Ohio | 620 | $211M | 5.2% | |
| 6 | Illinois | 475 | $312M | 4.0% | |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 413 | $234M | 3.5% | |
| 8 | Michigan | 399 | $191M | 3.4% | |
| 9 | New Jersey | 383 | $224M | 3.2% | |
| 10 | Georgia | 341 | $258M | 2.9% | |
| 11 | Minnesota | 330 | $184M | 2.8% | |
| 12 | Colorado | 327 | $187M | 2.8% | |
| 13 | North Carolina | 322 | $249M | 2.7% | |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 284 | $163M | 2.4% | |
| 15 | Washington | 275 | $152M | 2.3% |
Franchise brands
28.5% of approvals carried a franchise code.
| # | Brand | Approvals | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hotworx | 364 | 3.1% | |
| 2 | Anytime Fitness | 237 | 2.0% | |
| 3 | X-Golf | 127 | 1.1% | |
| 4 | F45 Training | 100 | 0.8% | |
| 5 | Stretch Lab | 98 | 0.8% | |
| 6 | D1 Training | 85 | 0.7% | |
| 7 | Urban Air Adventure Park | 83 | 0.7% | |
| 8 | The Back Nine | 82 | 0.7% | |
| 9 | Alloy Personal Traning | 81 | 0.7% | |
| 10 | The Little Gym | 79 | 0.7% |
Approval sizes
- $50,000 or less22.4%2,659
- $50,001 to $150,00016.9%2,008
- $150,001 to $350,00019.9%2,361
- $350,001 to $1 million25.8%3,056
- $1 million to $2 million8.1%965
- Over $2 million6.7%798
Age of the businesses
- Existing, more than 2 years old38.2%4,525
- New business, 2 years or less15.0%1,775
- Startup, loan funds will open the business41.2%4,877
- Change of ownership5.5%656
- Not answered0.1%14
Charge-offs against all industries
| Loans approved FY2010–FY2021 | This industry, 7(a) | All 7(a) | This industry, 504 | All 504 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approvals in these years | 18,751 | 639,905 | 2,236 | 85,591 |
| Cancelled or never disbursed | 2,410 | 79,313 | 359 | 12,514 |
| Disbursed loans | 16,341 | 560,592 | 1,877 | 73,077 |
| Paid in full | 12,088 | 435,813 | 849 | 35,491 |
| Charged off | 1,396 | 36,891 | 31 | 905 |
| Still outstanding (status exempt from disclosure) | 2,857 | 87,888 | 997 | 36,681 |
| Charged off, share of disbursed loans | 8.5% | 6.6% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Dollars charged off, share of disbursed dollars | 3.8% | 2.5% | 1.2% | 0.9% |
| Dollars charged off | $273M | $5.70bn | $19.7M | $499M |
Against all industries
| FY2021–FY2025 | NAICS 71 | All industries |
|---|---|---|
| Median 7(a) approval | $232K | $190K |
| Median 504 approval | $861K | $657K |
| Average approval | $567K | $573K |
| Approvals per 1,000 establishments | 71.2 | 41.0 |
| Approvals to franchise businesses | 28.5% | 11.2% |
| Jobs supported per approval, as reported | 11.2 | 10.5 |
Questions and answers
Which lenders make the most SBA loans for arts, entertainment, and recreation?
By approvals in FY2021 to FY2025: The Huntington National Bank (2,073), Newtek Bank, National Association (419), Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (307), Northeast Bank (284), Readycap Lending, LLC (282). 1,059 lenders had at least one.
How large are typical SBA loans for arts, entertainment, and recreation?
The median 7(a) approval was $232K and the median 504 approval $861K; the average across both programs was $567K.
What share of SBA loans for arts, entertainment, and recreation are charged off?
Of 7(a) loans approved in FY2010 to FY2021 and disbursed, 8.5% are recorded as charged off, against 6.6% for all industries; for 504 loans, 1.7% against 1.2%.
Which states have the most SBA loans for arts, entertainment, and recreation?
California (1,172), Texas (1,055), Florida (831), New York (680), Ohio (620).
Is SBA lending for arts, entertainment, and recreation rising?
Approvals in the three latest complete fiscal years total 8,461, against 4,919 in the three before: rising (+72%).
About these figures
Figures are totals of the Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan files, data through 30 Jun 2026. SBA updates the files quarterly. Counts are loan approvals, including approvals later cancelled; the five-year window is FY2021–FY2025, the five latest complete fiscal years. Charge-off rates use only loans approved in FY2010–FY2021, at least five fiscal years ago, and count disbursed loans SBA records as charged off. Loans are listed under the lender they are assigned to today. Establishment counts are from the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns 2023, which leaves out most farms, government and businesses without employees. Dollar figures behind fewer than three approvals are not shown, and no borrower is named anywhere on this site.Methodology · Report an error