New Basic Income for the Arts scheme to kick off before end of year

In what's being described as "a major milestone for the arts in Ireland", the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, has announced the successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot, set to begin later this year.

2,000 eligible artists will be selected to receive the payment of €325 per week. The payment will be for three years, and will also feature a tapering-off period of three months at the end of the cycle.

Guidelines for the new BIA scheme will be made available in April, with applications opening in May. These will be assessed over the summer, with payment to selected artists beginning before the end of 2026.

With a budget of €18.27m in Budget 2026, the new BIA scheme will operate in three-year cycles, with artists being eligible for every three out of six years.

"This means that, if selected in 2026–2029 for the payment, an artist won’t be eligible for the payment in the next cycle, but may reapply in the cycle following that," a press release from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sports reads. "Those who were on the Pilot who meet the eligibility criteria for the new scheme may apply for the BIA in 2026."

Minister O'Donovan has said he is "delighted" that the "new BIA scheme has today been approved by Cabinet".

"This is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and how we support the arts," he continues. "I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision. Ireland is a global leader in the area of artist supports because of the BIA.”

An external cost-benefit analysis from the pilot scheme found that, for every €1 invested in the pilot, society received €1.39 in return.

“The BIA pilot research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact it has had on those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector," Minister O'Donovan resumes. "The successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector. I encourage artists from all over the country to apply to ensure that those selected for the scheme represent the broadest range of artists practicing in Ireland today.”