“The economic return on this investment in Ireland’s artists and creative arts workers is having an immediate positive impact on the sector and the economy overall.”
– Minister of Culture Patrick O’Donovan, celebrating the success of Ireland’s
Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot. The trial saw 2,000 artists receive 1,500 EUR monthly since 2022, generating positive returns while increasing recipients’ arts income by over 500 EUR per month and reducing reliance on social welfare. The program will become permanent in 2026.
