Finance
Ireland rolls out pioneering basic income scheme for artists
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 10, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 10, 2026
Quick Summary
Ireland introduces a permanent basic income for artists, providing €325 weekly to 2,000 creatives, boosting cultural value and reducing financial strain.
Ireland Launches Innovative Basic Income Program for Artists
Overview of the Basic Income Scheme
By Padraic Halpin
Background and Purpose
DUBLIN, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Ireland rolled out a permanent basic income scheme for the arts on Tuesday, pledging to pay 2,000 creative workers 325 euros ($387) per week following a trial that participants said eased financial strain and allowed them to spend more time on projects.
Impact on Artists
Ireland began the three-year trial in 2022 to help artists recover from COVID-19 shutdowns. While similar pilots have been tried in San Francisco and New York, Ireland's Culture Minister Patrick O'Donovan said the scheme was the first permanent one of its kind in the world.
Financial Implications
The move will "set Ireland apart from other countries with regard to how we value culture and creativity," O'Donovan said, launching the scheme in the James Joyce Room at Bewley's Cafe, a Dublin cultural institution which hosts lunch-time theatre performances.
"This is a gigantic step forward that other countries are not doing."
The randomly selected applicants will receive the payments for three years, after which they would not be eligible for the next three-year cycle. O'Donovan said he would like to increase the number of recipients over time.
Over 8,000 applicants applied for the 2,000 places in the pilot scheme.
A report on the trial found it lowered the likelihood of artists experiencing enforced deprivation, and reduced their levels of anxiety and reliance on supplementary income.
It also recouped more than the trial's net cost of 72 million euros ($86 million) through increases in arts-related expenditure, productivity gains and reduced reliance on other social welfare payments, according to a government-commissioned cost-benefit analysis.
"The scheme was a real-world test of what happens when people are given stability instead of precarity," said composer and designer Peter Power, a member of the National Campaign for the Arts group.
"Artists on the scheme spent more time creating and less time trapped in unrelated jobs just to survive, and many became better able to sustain themselves through their work alone."
($1 = 0.8403 euros)
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
Key Takeaways
- •Ireland launches a permanent basic income scheme for artists.
- •2,000 creative workers to receive €325 weekly.
- •The scheme aims to reduce financial strain and increase productivity.
- •The trial showed positive financial and mental health impacts.
- •Ireland sets a global precedent in valuing culture and creativity.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ireland rolls out pioneering basic income scheme for artists
1What is a basic income?
A basic income is a financial payment made to individuals, typically on a regular basis, to ensure a minimum standard of living, regardless of other income sources.
2What are financial implications?
Financial implications refer to the potential effects or consequences that a decision or policy may have on financial resources, budgets, or economic conditions.