Public consultation reveals overwhelming support for making Basic Income for the Arts permanent

Today the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, announced the findings of a public consultation on the Basic Income for the Arts initiative, which show 97% of the wider public and the arts sector support the scheme becoming permanent.

As part of the BIA pilot research programme, 2,000 artists receive €325 per week, to support their creative practice. The primary aim of the scheme is 'to help artists deal with precarious incomes and to prevent them from leaving the sector for economic reasons.'

The programme began in 2022 and was set to end in 2025, however now there is an extension granted until February 2026.

More than 7,600 responses were received from members of the public, and more than 7,400 responses were received from artists not in receipt of the payment. In addition, almost 75% of current recipients also completed the survey.

47% of the over 17,000 total respondents think that recipients should be selected based on economic need, while 37.5 % think they should be selected based on track record/artistic merit. A further 14% prefers random selection.

More than 50% of respondents think the current level of payment is about right, while 44% think it’s too low. On average, respondents have indicated that someone should be in receipt of BIA for 12 years, while the median value for this response is 5 years.

The public consultation was open from 12 August to 5 September.

“I want to thank all the people who have taken the time to make their views known on this scheme," said O’Donovan.

"This is possibly the largest response to a public consultation conducted in this Department. I am heartened to see that members of the general public make up a large share of respondents, showing that BIA is appreciated not only by the arts sector but also by society at large. My Department is currently analysing the large volume of responses, with a view to prepare a public consultation report.”