Irish artists to receive €325 a week basic income from the government
- Text by Isaac Muk
Basic Income for the Arts — The scheme will begin next year, with 2,000 spaces initially allocated in the budget.
Ireland’s government has approved the permanent implementation of its Basic Income for the Arts scheme, which will see Irish artists receiving €325 a week.
The policy, which was first introduced in 2022 as a pilot programme, meant that 2,000 artists – including musicians and creatives – received the weekly stipend. Now permanent, the initial budget includes funding for 2,000 artists, with the potential to increase to 2,200 if funding becomes available.
According to RTE, an independent report undertaken earlier this year found that those receiving the Basic Income for the Arts payments spent more time creating work and art, were less stressed about their finances, as well as having improved mental well-being.
Speaking at Ireland’s Budget 2026 press conference, the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O’Donovan said: “The Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme, which I extended this year, will end in 2026, and I will bring a successor scheme to government with the intention of embedding a permanent basic income in the arts and culture sector.”
He continued: “This scheme is the envy of the world, and a tremendous achievement for Ireland, and must be made futureproof and sustainable.”
The move comes in an ever-more challenging landscape for artists in Ireland. Rising rents and insecure work have led to greater instability, making the prospect of sustaining a career in the arts less accessible for many.
At the same time, spaces for the arts have been hit. According to Music Venue Trust, 125 music venues closed down in Ireland in 2023, with a further 46 shuttering for good in 2024.
Isaac Muk is Huck’s digital editor. Follow him on Bluesky.
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