Ireland has taken a bold step in supporting creative workers with the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) — a pilot scheme providing eligible artists and musicians with a weekly payment of €325. Introduced in 2022, the initiative recognises the unstable nature of artistic work and aims to give creatives financial security while they focus on their craft.
What is the scheme?
The Basic Income for the Arts is a government-funded pilot programme that began in September 2022 and was designed to run for three years. Participants receive a guaranteed €325 per week, paid monthly, regardless of how much they earn from their artistic activities.
It is not a grant or competition, instead, it’s a research-based pilot, where recipients are chosen at random from a pool of eligible applicants. The scheme’s aim is to measure the impact of a stable income on creativity, productivity, and wellbeing.
The initiative was launched by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and is overseen by Minister Catherine Martin. According to Citizens Information and Visual Artists Ireland, payments are taxable and recipients must participate in periodic research surveys to evaluate its success.
Who is eligible?
The scheme is available to professional and emerging artists living and working in Ireland, regardless of nationality. Applicants do not need to be Irish citizens.
Eligible groups include:
- Irish citizens, EU nationals, and non-EU residents (such as Brazilians) who hold valid residency and work permission.
- Artists, performers, musicians, writers, dancers, designers, actors, and creative technicians.
- Recent graduates or newly trained artists (known as “Stream 2” applicants) may also apply if they can show commitment to developing a career in the arts.
To qualify, applicants must demonstrate genuine professional engagement in a creative field — through exhibitions, performances, music releases, publications, or paid creative work.
Out of over 9,000 applications, 2,000 people were selected randomly for the initial pilot. An additional control group of eligible but unpaid applicants was also created for comparison.
Do you have to pay it back, and is it tax deductible?
No — the payment is not a loan and does not have to be repaid. However, it is treated as taxable income under Irish law.
Recipients must register as self-employed and pay income tax, PRSI, and USC on the payment, just as they would on earnings from other freelance work.
According to Citizens Information, the income counts towards your annual tax return and may affect eligibility for some means-tested social welfare supports.
As a taxable income source, artists can still claim legitimate business expenses and tax deductions related to their artistic practice — for example, on instruments, studio rent, recording equipment, materials, or travel for performances.
What this means for musicians & artists
For many musicians, visual artists, and performers, the €325 weekly payment has provided a safety net that allows them to focus on creating rather than surviving.
According to early research published by the Department of Arts:
- Recipients spent more time on creative work and less on unrelated jobs.
- Reported improvements in mental health, stability, and productivity.
- Many were able to invest in their careers — from studio time to new equipment — and take on more ambitious projects.
For musicians, in particular, it has helped to balance gigging schedules, fund recording sessions, and reduce reliance on short-term teaching or service work.
The scheme also signals a broader cultural shift: a recognition that artistic labour is real work deserving of predictable income, not just one-off project funding.
What’s next, and where can I apply
The Basic Income for the Arts pilot is set to continue until February 2026, following a six-month extension announced by the government. It has also been confirmed that the scheme will become permanent from 2026, with new applications expected to open later that year.
The window to apply isn’t yet open, but it is due to open next year for applicants after February when the existing pilot extension is complete. The gov.ie website does provide a contact email for further information: basicincomeforthearts@ccs.gov.ie. You can write to them asking to be added to a notification list for when the next application window opens. gov.ie
Arts organisations and advocacy groups (e.g. Visual Artists Ireland, National Campaign for the Arts) are likely to circulate alerts when the next application opens. Keeping an eye on their newsletters, websites, or social media is a good strategy.
For Ireland’s artists and musicians, the message is clear: creativity has value, and stability is part of sustaining it. To
