Basic Income for the Arts is once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the way we support the arts in Ireland, says Green Party
A unique Basic Income for the Arts Pilot Scheme was today (April 5th) launched by Catherine Martin TD, Green Party Deputy Leader and Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
Minister Martin has been a driving force within government in securing the pilot scheme for artists, stating;
“I am delighted that Ireland is leading the way internationally with this pioneering pilot scheme to support artists and creative arts workers. We are a country with a rich heritage in the arts, and while the pandemic served to remind us of the vital role arts and creativity play in society and our lives, for artists it served to heighten the precariousness of working in this sector. This pilot recognises the need for security and supports to be in place in order to retain the talent and experience of artists and art workers so that we can continue to sustain and grow Ireland’s reputation for punching above our weight in creative talent and output.”
Payments of €325 per week, paid on a monthly basis, will be made to 2,000 eligible artists and creative arts workers. It will be a non-competitive process. The scheme will open for applications on April 12 and once a person satisfies the eligibility criteria they will be included in a randomised selection process. The scheme will examine, over a three year period, the impact of a basic income.
This pilot recognises the need for security and supports to be in place in order to retain the talent and experience of artists and art workers so that we can continue to sustain and grow Ireland’s reputation for punching above our weight in creative talent and output.
Minister Martin added;
“The Basic Income for the Arts Scheme is a once-in-generation opportunity to transform the way we support the arts in Ireland. Bold steps are necessary to ensure that we recognise the value of our artists and to ensure that they come back stronger than ever before. The Green Party has long championed a basic income scheme and to have this piloted in the arts sector is ground-breaking. I encourage everyone across visual arts, theatre, literature, music, dance, opera, film, circus and architecture to apply.”
A basic income for the arts was the number one recommendation of the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce Life Worth Living Report which was set up by Minister Catherine Martin in 2020 to examine how the sector could adapt and recover from the unprecedented damage arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. A stakeholder consultation forum was held on the issue in December 2021 at which over 150 participants from 50 representative and resource organisations in the arts and culture sector attended.
The application portal will open from 1pm on Tuesday April 12th 2022. Deadline for receipt of all applications is 1pm on Thursday 12th May 2022.
