Minister O’Donovan invites applications for the New Basic Income for the Arts scheme
- Published on: 15 April 2026
- Last updated on: 15 April 2026
- Applications for the Basic Income for the Arts scheme (BIA) will open at 1pm today, 15 April 2026 and will close on 12 May 2026
- Professional artists from across the country are encouraged to apply
- Guidelines outlining eligibility criteria were made available online on 1 April and eligible artists are encouraged to apply early
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, invites applications from artists across the country for the Basic Income for the Arts (2026 – 2029) scheme from 1pm today, when the application window opens here. With a budget of €18.27m secured by Minister O’Donovan in Budget 2026, 2,000 eligible artists will be selected to receive the payment of €325 per week. The payment will be for 3 years.
The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) is for Professional Artists who can demonstrate an active creative practice which is predominantly based in Ireland. Eligibility criteria for application are set out in the Guidelines.
Minister Patrick O’Donovan said:
I am pleased to be the Minister responsible for making the BIA permanent and I encourage all professional artists to apply for the scheme. This scheme is important for society in general, not just for artists. It has the potential to expand the arts sector and create more opportunities for citizens to engage in the arts. It also recognises the contribution of artists to democracy and to how we see ourselves as a nation.
Eligible artists will be able to apply for the scheme over the coming weeks and are encouraged to apply early. Applicants are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the eligibility criteria for the new scheme which are available in the Guidelines here and accompanied by an FAQ here. Ahead of applying, applicants need to collect proofs of active practice and details for the survey which are required when applying.
Maria Fleming, chair of The National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA) said:
With applications open for Basic Income for Artists the NCFA encourages all those eligible to apply. We know from the pilot scheme the opportunity this presents to arts workers to support their artistic practice and advance within their profession.
Please ensure you allow yourself time to study the guidelines and to complete the application. The NCFA wish to thank all those who campaigned for BIA, in particular the artists from the pilot scheme for completing the surveys that provided the proof of concept. A very special thank you to the control group of the pilot who showed the clear impact of the Basic Income.
Applications will be assessed over the summer, with payment to selected artists beginning before the end of 2026.
Eligibility criteria and details of how the scheme will operate, including what proofs of practice are accepted, are outlined in the Guidelines.
Minister O’Donovan continued:
This is a ground-breaking scheme for the arts, and places Ireland as a world-leader in how we support our artists and thereby our culture. I encourage artists from every background and every corner of the country to apply for the Basic Income for the Arts from today, to ensure that every community can benefit from this scheme and that a broad range of artists are represented.
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
BIA Scheme Objectives
- The artist
- To incentivise the development and growth of professional creative practice through self-employment;
- To counter the earnings instability and precarious nature of working in the arts, and the detrimental effect it has on artists’ mental health;
- To foster artists’ agency and safeguard freedom of expression.
2. The sector
- To retain talent in the sector by reducing the need for artists to work outside of the arts for economic reasons;
- To support and expand the sector thanks to spillover effects e.g. hiring of collaborators, expenditure on materials, emergence of new projects etc.
3. Society and the public
- To support social cohesion and societal wellbeing by creating more opportunities for citizens to engage in the arts, and to offer a larger selection of artworks and performances to enjoy;
- To recognise the contribution of artists to a pluralistic society, and their contribution to the vibrancy of communities across the nation.
Who is eligible to apply
- Artists with a professional creative practice who are
- Based in the Republic of Ireland at time of application and can
- Evidence their creative practice, primarily based in Ireland.
- Recently Graduated Applicants
Who is not eligible to apply
- Those who cannot provide evidence of their professional artistic practice
- Aosdána members in receipt of the Cnuas payment
- Artists not based in the Republic of Ireland at the time of application and for the duration of the payment
- Artists whose practice is not primarily based in Ireland
- Those in full-time education
BIA Pilot Scheme
Reports published on the Basic Income for the Arts Pilot scheme which ran from 2022 – 2026 are available here: gov.ie - Basic Income for the Arts Pilot Scheme
Research from the pilot scheme collected clear evidence of the consistent, positive impact that the payment has across almost all indicators. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to:
- devote more time to their art;
- produce more pieces of work;
- experience a boost to their wellbeing through greater life satisfaction
- experience reduced anxiety, and;
- are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.