“I think I’m eating better and I’m mentally better and I think it really shows also through my capacity to take on work and to create more work, or to have time to think about it, and read and inform myself better” comments a female dancer at the beginning of her career about Ireland’s basic income for the arts (BIA). “At 56 going on 57 for the last couple of years, I believe in myself and I believe in what I do. ” says a male musician who also participated in the pilot scheme of the BIA. Another dancer underlines: “Not always feeling I have to leave my career. That as soon as there’s a gap between jobs that I’m not in the, ‘oh god, is this it?”.
In 2022, Ireland launched an ambitious pilot scheme to provide 2,000 artists and creative workers with a basic income of €325 per week for three years. The project aimed to address the long-standing systemic issues of income instability and precarity that have plagued the sector.
The recently published qualitative report, authored by Dr. Jenny Dagg, offers compelling insights into how this steady, unconditional income transformed not only the professional trajectories of its recipients, but also their health, well-being, and belief in the future.
The findings, based on in-depth interviews with 52 participants, show that the basic income for the arts has significantly reduced underlying financial stress. It has also allowed recipients to devote time to research and experimentation, resulting in improved quality and opening up new career opportunities. Recipients invested in upskilling and equipment. They were also better able to take care of their physical and mental health. They reported a sense of legitimacy and validation, and mentioned the importance of 'giving back' to their community.
From the outset, the BIA appears to have disrupted a deeply ingrained culture of financial uncertainty. Prior to receiving the payment, many artists described their lives as a continuous hustle — juggling freelance gigs, low-paying jobs, and underfunded projects, all while contending with social invisibility and systemic neglect.
For many, the introduction of a consistent income stream has provided a foundational shift. “It was the first time I had a real stable income in my life,” one recipient noted. Others likened it to “a safety net” or “buffer” that allowed them to make better decisions, take creative risks, and in some cases, avoid emigrating or abandoning their practice altogether.
One of the most cited benefits of the scheme was the newfound ability to focus. Freed from the constraints of survival-mode thinking, recipients reported being able to dedicate more time to their craft, with marked improvements in the quality, ambition, and consistency of their work.
This was particularly significant for disabled artists, whose creative processes often require more time and flexibility. Emerging artists, too, noted the value of being able to learn how to manage themselves as self-employed professionals without the pressure of immediate financial returns.
The report makes clear that artistic autonomy has deepened: participants described saying no to underpaid or exploitative work, pursuing long-term projects, and feeling empowered to work on what matters most to them.
Beyond the professional realm, the BIA has had striking effects on recipients’ mental and physical health. Artists spoke of improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and the ability to seek medical and psychological care — some for the first time in years. For many, the stress of simply staying afloat had previously overshadowed all else.
The scheme, recipients said, validated their identities as artists. That legitimacy — both social and internal — proved as valuable as the income itself.
While the overall findings are overwhelmingly positive, the report also outlines persistent challenges. Artists with disabilities, for instance, faced reductions in medical supports due to welfare thresholds being impacted by the BIA payment. Migrant and disabled recipients also described barriers to accessing professional networks and events.
Inequality between those selected for the pilot and those left out created tensions within artistic communities, with some recipients choosing not to disclose their participation publicly due to guilt or fear of judgment. Others expressed anxiety about what would happen when the scheme ends in 2025, fearing a return to precarity and lost momentum.
The National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA) committee supports the retention, extension and expansion of basic income for artists, recognising it as a transformative policy that provides meaningful financial stability.
Speaking on the matter, the Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, said that “the research shows that the impact of the basic income is far-reaching and affects all aspects of recipients' lives”.
Read the report here
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Photo credit: Jorge Royan
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