Following the announcement last October that the government would establish a permanent Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) scheme, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has today (10 February) outlined a number of the details.

The announcement states that practising artists based in the Republic of Ireland will be able to apply for the scheme and two thousand artists will be selected to receive the payment of €325 per week. Guidelines on applying for the new BIA will be published in April, the scheme will open for applications in May, and payments will begin before the end of this year.

The payment will be for three years and will also feature a tapering-off period of three months at the end. The new BIA will operate in three-year cycles with artists being eligible for three out of every six years. This means that if selected for the 2026–2029 scheme, an artist won’t be eligible for the subsequent cycle, but may reapply for the cycle after that.

Those who were on the original pilot scheme, which ran from September 2022 to February 2026, and who meet the eligibility criteria for the new scheme, will be able to apply again in May.

Commenting on the new BIA, Minister O’Donovan said:

I am delighted to be announcing that the new BIA scheme has today been approved by Cabinet and will open for applications in May of this year. This is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and how we support the arts. I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision. Ireland is a global leader in the area of artist supports because of the BIA.

The pilot scheme was launched by the previous Minister for the Arts, Catherine Martin, in 2022 following the pandemic, and was accompanied by an extensive research project that demonstrated the scheme’s benefits. Research showed that artists are able to devote more time to their art; produce more pieces of work; have greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety; and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the arts sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.

The results of an external cost-benefit analysis last September found that for every €1 invested in the pilot, society receives €1.39 in return.

Peter Power of the Steering Committee for the National Campaign for the Arts commented today that the ‘Basic Income for Artists is a landmark commitment by the government to invest in Ireland’s arts industries.’ He added:

The introduction of the Basic Income for the Arts underscores the premise that Government investment in the arts yields myriad positive benefits to society from economic, health, mental wellbeing, education, societal cohesion, diversity, and inclusion, to creativity, critical thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship, global reputation and more. We look forward to its implementation and expansion to include all eligible artists and arts workers in the coming years.

A survey last September showed 97% public support for making the BIA permanent. Minister O’Donovan secured €18.27m in last October’s government budget to support the scheme.

For further details on the announcement, visit www.gov.ie.