by John Baker, Reinhard Huss | Nov 22, 2025 | News
In September 2020, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin set up the Arts and Culture Taskforce which was tasked with producing a report on how the arts and culture sector could adapt and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time she was also the deputy leader of the Green Party which is supportive of the Basic Income (BI) concept. The number one recommendation from the task force report Life Worth Living was to pilot a Basic Income scheme for a 3-year period in the in the arts, culture, audio-visual and live performance and events sectors. As part of the National Economic Recovery Plan launched on 1 June 2021, Minister Martin secured a commitment from Government for a Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) Pilot Scheme.
To read the full article, click here.
by John Baker | Oct 6, 2025 | News
The case [for Basic Income for the Arts] is strengthened by the latest report on the pilot scheme, published last week. This cost benefit analysis showed that “for every €1 of public money invested in the pilot, society received €1.39 in return”.
It follows four other reports that detailed the hugely positive impact of BIA payments on the lives of recipients and their families.
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The research reports demonstrate the depth and extent of that precarity and insecurity.
We therefore endorse the retention of BIA and its extension to all arts workers, by continuing to support the initial cohort of recipients, while extending the payment to a much larger group. We also call for the BIA to be a permanent payment that goes to all arts workers throughout their careers.
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The case for targeting through taxation rather than means-testing is particularly strong in relation to people with insecure incomes, such as most arts workers.
Read the full letter by John Baker here.
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