In a landmark move, Ireland launches basic pay for artists
What's the story
In a groundbreaking initiative, the Irish government has announced that it will provide a basic income to 2,000 artists for three years. The scheme aims to allow these creatives to concentrate on their work without worrying about financial stability. After the initial three-year period, there will be a gradual reduction in income over three months.
Details
Artists will receive around ₹35,000 weekly for 3 years
Under this scheme, eligible artists will receive €325 ($386 or ₹34,934) weekly for three years. This income is taxable but not dependent on their creative output, providing them with a stable financial base. The scheme is open to all types of artists including writers, visual artists, actors, musicians, makeup designers, and directors.
Impact
'It changes your relationship with banks, landlords, savings, pensions'
Peter Power, an artist and member of the steering committee of the National Campaign for the Arts, spoke to CNN about the impact of this scheme. He said, "It changes your relationship with banks, landlords, savings, pensions." "The fundamental architecture of being a secure citizen becomes available to you...it's hard to put a metric on that."
Success stories
'Life-changing' impact on artists
For artists like Aisling O'Mara, the pilot scheme was a game-changer. She told CNN that it was "life-changing" especially as she found out about her pregnancy around the same time. "Without it, I don't think it would be feasible for me and my daughter to continue living the way we are," she said.
Selection process
Not all artists will benefit from the scheme
However, not all artists will benefit from the basic income under this new policy. Over 8,000 eligible artists applied for the initial pilot scheme, but only 25% were randomly chosen to participate. These selected creatives will need to recalibrate once their three years come to an end, as they will be ineligible to apply for the next funding cycle immediately and will have to apply for the chance to receive the basic income again, three years later.
Looking ahead
Government provides funding for Arts Council
When asked about support for artists between funding cycles, a representative for the Department for Culture, Communications and Sport told CNN that record funding over €140 million ($167 million or ₹1505 crore) has been provided for the Arts Council in 2026. However, they did not specify if the scheme would be expanded in the upcoming years.