Ireland extends basic income for artists scheme

Ireland will extend its Basic Income for the Arts programme after the pilot scheme was awarded €35m as part of a €380m arts and culture package announced in the country’s 2025 budget.

The pilot was set up to offer 2,000 randomly selected participants €325 (£276.78) a week in monthly instalments between October 2022 and October 2025, but will now run beyond the current end date.

The Irish government has not said how long the initiative will be extended by, but the €35m announced is similar to the annual current spend on the scheme (€33.8m).

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An impact assessment of the scheme’s first year found the payment having a consistent, positive impact on almost all indicators, including practice development, sectoral retention and well-being.

The extension comes a week after a petition calling for the retention and expansion of the Basic Income for the Arts gained over 10,000 signatures.

The budget also included €140m for the Arts Council, the largest amount it has ever been awarded, but less than its request of €160m.

Maura McGrath, Chair of Arts Council Ireland, thanked Minister Catherine Martin and her colleagues for recognising the value of the arts but added that further investment will be required “to respond to significant pressure points in the arts sector and to deliver the best return on government investment to date”.

She continued: “This includes the pressing need to develop infrastructure to support artists and arts organisations, such as the proposed groundbreaking artists’ campus at Dublin Port. We will continue to make the case for a level of funding that optimises opportunities for artists, arts workers and audiences.”

Maureen Kennelly, Director of the Arts Council, said that the arts in Ireland were entering “a golden age”.

She added: “While the figure for 2025 is at the lower end of what we sought to meet the unprecedented demand for our funding schemes and counter financial pressures in the sector, we look forward to working with government to develop a sustainable future for the arts in Ireland.

“I also welcome the news that the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme is being extended. The scheme has huge potential to make the arts a viable career for those with ambition and talent, whatever their social or demographic background, and aligns closely with the Arts Council’s vision for a diverse and inclusive arts community in Ireland.”