Ireland’s government has approved plans to permanently implement a basic income scheme for over 2,000 creative workers and musicians in 2026.
After being piloted in 2022, the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) scheme will now become permanent under the 2026 Budget secured by the Minister for Culture, Patrick O’Donovan.
“This scheme is the envy of the world, and a tremendous achievement for Ireland, and must be made futureproof and sustainable,” he said in a recent press release, where he stressed the importance of keeping the arts sector “resilient, sustainable, forward reaching and accessible”.
The BIA scheme initially aimed to “address the financial instability faced by many working in the arts”, with research finding that it had successfully sustained artists’ careers by effectively reducing the “income precarity which is a feature of a career in the arts”.
Those eligible for the new scheme will be able to apply from September next year, with participants in the permanent scheme set to receive €325 a week, with payments made monthly.
Though initially planned to accommodate some 2,000 artists and creatives, RTE has reported that the scheme could go on to support another 200 should additional funds become available, with potential to grow even further in the coming years.
There remains a bleak reality facing countless artists at the moment, particularly those in the UK, given the Musician’s Union revealed earlier this year that almost half of all working musicians in the UK earn less than £14,000 a year.
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Featured Artists Coalition CEO David Martin shared a statement with NME at the time about the findings, saying that “beneath the surface, many UK artists earn far below-average salaries, with some making less than minimum wage despite being signed to the world’s largest record label.”
Though there are promising indicators of growth – among them increased vinyl sales and an appetite for live music – much of the grassroots sector continues to face challenges. With venues, for example, 2023 proved to be “disastrous” and the worst year on record with 125 grassroots music venues shutting their doors.
Last year, The Music Venue Trust (MVT) also pointed to a potential “complete collapse of touring” as a result of the recent budget announcement that introduces £7million in new premises taxes. MVT has suggested that this will place 350 grassroots music venues at immediate risk of closure – threatening more than 12,000 jobs, over £250million in economic activity and the loss of over 75,000 live music events.
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