Several years after launching a trial, Ireland is set to make its basic income for artists program permanent starting in 2026.
Under the program, selected artists receive a weekly payment of approximately $375, or about $1,500 per month.
The government may expand the program to additional applicants in the future, should more funding become available, according to Irish broadcaster RTÉ.
Many artists suffered disproportionate income losses during that time due to the cancelation of live performances and events.
The report further estimated that a permanent, “scaled-up” program would likely result in artists producing 22 percent more work, while lowering the average cost of art to consumers by 9 to 25 percent.
Ireland’s BIA program is a form of universal basic income, a policy that grants all citizens a recurring payment regardless of socioeconomic status or other factors.
The Network will continue to help demonstrate basic income within communities and show how it is a sustainable policy,” the UBI Lab Network said in a statement calling for a nationwide program. »