I was delighted to open the successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot on April 15th, applications for which closed on Tuesday 12th May. This is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and the manner in which we support professional artists.
I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision. Data gathered in the past through the BIA pilot (2022-2026) has been used in 7 research papers all of which are currently available on gov.ie.
The Basic Income for the Arts is underpinned by a research programme, which will continue under the new scheme. An evaluation of the scheme will be conducted on an ongoing basis to determine the impact of the grant payment, and to research the health of the arts sector in Ireland. The data gathered through my Department's BIA surveys is essential for informed decision-making, policy development, and better delivery of public services.
The survey completed by your constituent will help my Department to understand the needs of the sector. The data will be analysed by my Department over the coming period and I expect to be able to publish the results of this analysis before the end of 2026. I will be in a position to share data on a per county basis once the internal analysis is completed.
