Basic Income for Artists Ireland: Why This Is Just the Beginning

First of all, I want to congratulate the artists who were participants on the pilot scheme for their contribution . Through this essential and important facts were learned, not least the contribution to the overall economy (for every €1 invested in the scheme €1.39 was generated in public return) The same congratulations go to the artists in the control group. Your input provided an essential contra indication of the need for the scheme. Also, congratulations go to the National Campaign for the Arts and their tireless work to make the funding a permanent fixture.

With that all said, let me hold your hand while we walk through some important aspects of the institution of the BIA

Important aspects of the institution of the Basic Income for the Arts scheme

• It is the first of its kind in Europe. That says a lot about the government’s faith in the sector. Investments of all kinds come with measured risk and it’s a major step for a government to have started that journey.
• This leads me to my next important point, this is the start of the journey. It might not be perfect but it was never going to be. The first iterations of anything rarely are. When was the last time that you created a piece of work that was flawless from the first brush stroke to the last

Get ready for it, this next one is a hard one

• While the income is provided to take the pressure off, it doesn’t mean to take your foot off the pedal. The three year span is meant to provide you the opportunity to develop things to a point where they can perform better for you at the end of that time. Throughout that time you must be creating a plan and structure to carry forward after the three years. If it helps, consider it like you are passing the baton to the next artist after three years. The Arts is blessed with a strong community ethos and this offers a place for growing and demonstrating that also.

I’m not going to get into an argument here about political motivations because it’s simply a waste of time. What’s more valuable to acknowledge is, things are further along than they were three years ago and who knows what will happen in another three years.

There is still a lot for us to learn about the current landscape of the scheme, guidelines are not out until April, there is still plenty scope for the scheme to transform and develop. For now, your best course of action is to prepare your practice to make your application and consider how you can best support your fellow artists in the weeks to come as this new environment reveals itself.

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