The Art Group had been ‘unable to secure the funding they needed from traditional sources,’ according to RCapital MD Jamie Constable.

Constable adds that the company’s technology enables it to produce high-quality cards and posters at prices that are competitive with producers in the Far East and Central Europe.

‘We believe that with the current strength of the euro and fuel costs affecting worldwide shipping costs, printing will return to the UK, and The Art Group is well placed to lead this new market,’ he says.

The Art Group’s technology allows visitors to museums and galleries to order prints using touch-screen terminals. The prints are then framed according to customers’ requirements and delivered to their homes.