Irish government grants Artists & Musicians basic income allowance

Following talks in January, the Irish government has rolled out a new ‘basic income’ funding stream for 2,000 artists, musicians, writers, and performers, guaranteeing them €325 each week.

The ‘basic income initiative’ was set up for those working in the arts by a task force appointed by the Irish Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, Catherine Martin. Martin estimates a spend of €25m on the scheme, which had over 9,000 applicants. 

Those accepted into the program were done so anonymously and at random. As reported by the BBC, musicians and artists make up the bulk of recipients, who will receive weekly payments for three years.

Dublin has the most recipients of the Irish Basic Income for musicians grant, at 764, followed by Cork with 212, and Galway at 148. 

Recipients contain 700 visual artists, 584 musicians, 204 film creatives, and 184 writers. Around 170 actors and others working on theater projects were also selected, including 32 dancers/choreographers, 13 circus artists and 10 architects. 

Irish Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin says: “there will be a lot of disappointed people today who applied and didn’t get selected. I am very grateful to everyone who took the time to apply, and I understand their disappointment.”