San Diego Creative Industry Survey

The San Diego Creative Industry Survey is an effort to better understand the opportunities, challenges, and capital needs of creative businesses across San Diego County. The survey is being conducted by Upstart Co-Lab on behalf of the Prebys Foundation and will help inform future efforts to support San Diego’s creative industries through impact investing and other financial tools. 

Prebys is exploring how impact investing and other forms of capital can support the growth and sustainability of San Diego’s creative industries. To do that effectively, we first need to understand the needs, opportunities, and barriers facing creative businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the region. 

The survey is intended for creative businesses and entrepreneurs operating in San Diego County, including businesses in fields such as design and creative services, architecture and engineering, film and media, fashion and apparel, food and beverage, manufacturing and maker businesses, beauty and consumer products, publishing, and other creative industries. 

Arts and culture organizations, nonprofits, universities, chambers of commerce, creative networks, and community partners play an important role in reaching creative entrepreneurs across San Diego County. 

Use this toolkit to share the survey through your newsletters, social media, websites, and professional networks so every corner of San Diego’s creative industry has the opportunity to be heard. 

Many nonprofit organizations are important connectors within San Diego’s creative industries. Even if your organization is not the primary audience for the survey, we hope you will help spread the word to creative businesses, entrepreneurs, and others in your network who may be a good fit. 

No. This survey is not a grant application and completing the survey does not guarantee funding. The information collected will help inform future strategies and opportunities related to supporting San Diego’s creative industries. 

No. The survey is intended to gather information and better understand the needs and opportunities within San Diego’s creative industries. Participation does not constitute an application for funding or investment. The survey will help inform future efforts to support San Diego’s creative industries through impact investing and other financial tools. 

The creative economy is defined as a set of art, culture, design and innovation industries, and the economic contribution of those industries within a geographic region. 

A unique set of industries defines each local creative economy, reflecting the culture, traditions and heritage of that place. 

Click here for the list of San Diego’s creative industries.

According to a recent study conducted by PIC, a post-pandemic update of a similar study conducted by the EDC on behalf of the City of San Diego, San Diego’s creative economy generates nearly $11 billion annually and supports nearly 170,000 jobs, spanning 71 industries and 76 unique occupations. While the sector recovered from the impact of Covid-19 and continues to grow, the rate of growth is slower than peer cities across the country. As a result, the City of San Diego identified creative industries as a key growth area in its economic development strategy and in 2025 released its Creative Economy Playbook, or key growth opportunity areas. 

Informed by the PIC and EDC studies, this survey seeks to identify investable opportunities in the San Diego creative economy that align with Prebys impact areas and are currently seeking growth capital.

Impact investing refers to investments made with the intention of generating both financial returns and positive social or environmental impact. Prebys is exploring how impact investing and other financial tools might help support San Diego’s creative industries in the future. 

For the purpose of this study, Prebys has defined five impact areas: 
Inclusive Economic Opportunity; Ethical and Sustainable Production and Consumption; Diverse Entrepreneurship; Civic and Community Revitalization; Community-Informed Storytelling. Click here to read more about these impact areas.

The survey should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. 

Survey responses will be analyzed to better understand the creative industry landscape across San Diego County. Findings will help inform future strategies, partnerships, and potential investment opportunities focused on strengthening the region’s creative industries. Insights developed based on survey responses may also inform Prebys field building activities, including thought leadership, convenings and capacity-building programs.

Individual responses will be reviewed by the project team and used for research purposes. Any public reporting will focus on findings rather than identifying individual respondents unless permission is granted. 

After completing the survey, you will receive confirmation that your submission was received. Participants may receive updates about the survey findings and future opportunities related to this work. Some respondents may be contacted for additional information or follow-up conversations. All participants will receive the Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs developed by Upstart Co-Lab.

The survey will remain open through September 30, 2026. 

Upstart Co-Lab is a nonprofit initiative that works to connect impact investing with the creative industries. Since 2016, the organization has partnered with investors, foundations, entrepreneurs, and cultural institutions to expand access to capital for creative businesses that generate both financial returns and positive social or environmental impact. 

For the San Diego Creative Industry Survey, Upstart Co-Lab is partnering with the Prebys Foundation to better understand the capital needs, opportunities, and investment readiness of creative businesses across San Diego County. Survey findings will help inform future strategies to strengthen the region’s creative industries.